Ep. 131: “Lymphocyte Development” Featuring Dr. Alfred Singer

About this episode

Dr. Alfred Singer discusses thymus development and T cell differentiation, including MHC-restricted signaling and immune cell fate decisions.

Guest: Dr. Alfred Singer is a Senior Investigator at the National Cancer Institute Center for Cancer Research. He discusses his pioneering work on thymus development and T cell differentiation, including how T cells are selected to become CD4 helper or CD8 cytotoxic cells through MHC-restricted signaling. He shares the evolution of key concepts in the field, such as the “kinetic signaling” model of lineage commitment, and offers insights into T cell receptor signaling, regulatory T cell development, and the complexities of immune cell fate decisions. Featured Products and Resources: Receive a free 250 mL bottle of Lymphoprep plus a free SepMate tube to try in your own lab. Achieve simple, reliable EV isolation with EasySep kits from STEMCELL Technologies. The Immunology Science Round Up CEACAM6 Enables Viral Entry – Bat alphacoronavirus enters human cells via CEACAM6, revealing potential for zoonotic transmission. Cross-Dressing Drives T Cell Priming – mRNA vaccines activate CD8+ T cells through redundant dendritic cell pathways and cross-dressing mechanisms. Unlocking NK Antitumor Responses – Removing tumor Tregs unleashes NK cell responses to control cancers, including MHC…

People in this episode

Guest: Dr. Alfred Singer

Topics covered

• Lymphocyte Development
• T Cell Differentiation
• Thymus Development
• MHC-restricted Signaling
• Immune Cell Fate Decisions
• T Cell Receptor Signaling

Keywords

• T cells
• CD4 helper cells
• CD8 cytotoxic cells
• kinetic signaling
• regulatory T cells
• immune aging
• RUNX1

Sponsors

STEMCELL Technologies

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: National Cancer Institute Center for Cancer Research, STEMCELL Technologies

Products: Lymphoprep, SepMate tube, EasySep kits

More episodes of The Immunology Podcast

• Ep. 133: “From Microbes to Immune Responses” Featuring Dr. Samuel Nobs · June 2, 2026 · 1h 3m
• Ep. 132: “Tumor-Infiltrating B Cells” Featuring Dr. Tullia Bruno · May 13, 2026 · 1h 10m
• IMMUNOLOGY2026™: On the Ground · April 28, 2026 · 41 min
• Ep. 129: Live from IMMUNOLOGY2026TM: Emerging Immunotherapies for Solid Tumors · April 21, 2026 · 57 min
• IMMUNOLOGY2026™: Day 5 · April 20, 2026 · 18 min
• IMMUNOLOGY2026™: Day 4 · April 19, 2026 · 16 min