The Immunopeptidome in Health and Disease

This Gordon Research Conference will explore the basic mechanisms of MHC-restricted antigen processing and presentation at the intersection of immunity, autoimmunity, tolerance and cancer immunotherapy. Recent advances in mass spectrometry have led to more accurate identification and quantification of the MHC-immunopeptidome. Therefore, this meeting will focus on how the defined MHC-immunopeptidomes have been utilized to make important advances in the understanding and manipulation of T cell responses. The initial sessions will focus on the complex biochemical pathways that mediate MHC classical and non-classical ligand generation and loading with an emphasis on the diversity of the immunopeptidome, antigen cross-presentation, endosomal pathways of presentation, and proteasome dependent and independent pathways that collectively generate the MHC peptidome. Subsequent sessions will explore how the presented MHC-immunopeptidome shapes and promotes T cell tolerance while promoting T cell responses to pathogens but yet tolerating the microbiome. Importantly, the conference will also explore how the selected MHC-immunopeptidome drives immunological responses in autoimmunity and cancer and how it can be harnessed for immunotherapy.