The Jones lab @VAInstitute is recruiting postdoctoral fellows interesting in studying how nutrition impacts anti-tumor immunity.

A study by @DrRGJonesLab, published in @ScienceAdvances, reveals that blocking a common inflammatory protein called IL-17 could open the door to better treatments for gastrointestinal cancers and Peutz-Jehgers syndrome.

‼️The NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Autoimmune Disease Research has launched! This landmark plan aims to coordinate and advance efforts to support rigorous, high-priority, innovative, and collaborative autoimmune disease research. Read the full plan: https://t.co/IzXaqHdBaL

One step closer.

New! Online now: Glucose-dependent glycosphingolipid biosynthesis fuels CD8+ T cell function and tumor control https://t.co/Eu7MtHRgO2

Honored to be elected and excited to help support the future of cancer immunology!

Nice job Joe! And thanks to everyone who contributed to this "sweet" study. For more information, please read here: https://t.co/yjUPwPh0Xi @VAInstitute @VAIMetabolism

All in all, this work uncovered GSL biosynthesis as a critical glucose-dependent pathway essential for CD8 T cell expansion and cytotoxic function. These findings suggest that GSL production couples glucose metabolism to TCR signaling and effector function.

T cells that can't make GSLs (like the UGCG-deficient CD8 T cells here) show reduced cytotoxicity and show impaired anti-tumor immunity.

Joe found that glucose-derived GSL production is critical for maintaining lipid rafts in CD8 T cells. This suggests that a major function of glucose is to produce membrane lipids (like gangliosides) so T cells can respond to their environment

T cells that can't make GSLs show normal bioenergetics. But when they can't produce GSLs from glucose, T cells fail to respond to pathogen challenge. So making GSLs from glucose is critical for normal T cell function

Joe found that CD8 T cells use UDP-glucose to make glycosphingolipids (GSLs). These are sugar-lipid molecules found prominently in the plasma membrane. Joe showed that the metabolic enzymes UGP2 and UGCG are required to make GSLs in T cells

This work stems from interesting findings we observed when tracking how T cells use glucose when fighting an infection in vivo. A huge amount of glucose was used to produce the nucleotide sugar UDP-Glucose

Happy to share our latest paper from Dr. Joseph Longo showing glycosphingolipid production as a key metabolic fate of glucose in CD8 T cells that fuels their cytolytic function @VAInstitute @VAIMetabolism

Glucose-dependent glycosphingolipid biosynthesis fuels CD8+ T cell function and tumor control @Cell_Metabolism @DrRGJonesLab @jlongo92 https://t.co/F32Y7FGNpH

Ever wonder why some carbs spike your blood sugar more than others? New research shows that your metabolic health defines your personal "carb-response type." Researchers gave 55 healthy adults seven different meals (rice, bread, potatoes, pasta, beans, berries, and grapes, each

ACLY inhibition promotes tumour immunity and suppresses liver cancer

If you are in the Midwest and ❤️ metabolism, take note! This year’s Midwest Metabolism meeting will be held jointly with the Translational Research in Mitochondrial Metabolism in Aging and Disease (TRiMAD) conference. The combined 2-day event will be @umichmedicine, with

Eight children who were at risk of serious genetic conditions have hit all of their developmental milestones after donor mitochondria was used during their IVF conception

I can’t wait to give this exact speech this fall as an assistant coach for my son’s 8U team @ShoresyHockey Shoresy Inspirational Speech https://t.co/s58zE1WnPf via @YouTube

The R. Jones lab aims to understand the molecular pathways that regulate pathogenic T cell function in autoimmunity. A major focus is on understanding how nutrients and metabolic pathways promote pathogenic T cells via epigenetic programming. Apply here: