Welcome to the Shin Lab
Research Interests
Transcription Factors in the Initiation of T Cell Programs
The transition from pre-thymic bone marrow progenitors to early T cell progenitors is marked by selective gene regulation and dynamic changes in chromatin state. We investigate how transcription factors (TFs) inherited from bone marrow progenitor cells (particularly members of the Runx family) contribute to the initiation of T cell-specific programs. We study how these TFs interact with chromatin landscapes, whether they guide or respond to developmental chromatin remodeling, and how their cooperative interactions refine the selection of functional target genes.
Gene Regulatory Networks in Persistent Pathogenic CD4 T Cells During Chronic Inflammation
Under chronic inflammatory conditions, specialized subsets of CD4 T cells contribute to the persistence of pathology by continuously replenishing proinflammatory cell pools. These "persistent pathogenic" CD4 T cells express transcriptional programs that support self-renewal, resist apoptosis, and enable functional plasticity across various effector pathways. We aim to identify the TFs that drive this persistent pathogenic program and construct the gene regulatory networks that underlie this unique pathogenic state.