Matthew Brown is a third-year undergraduate student at UF majoring in biochemistry & molecular biology. He joined the Brusko Lab in the summer of 2019 to study the autoimmune response involving the destruction of pancreatic beta-cells which leads to Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). Matthew is researching the therapeutic potential of modulating the CD226 & TIGIT costimulatory pathway to develop a more efficient adoptive Treg cell therapy as well as monoclonal antibody therapeutic approaches. Matthew is also currently working with Dr. Robert Sharp to investigate the effects of intracellular signaling between two transmembrane proteins (CD47 & SIRPγ) to determine whether interruptions of this signaling pathway play a role in T1D pathogenesis. 

Publications

• Sharp RC*, Brown ME*, Shapiro MR, Posgai AL and Brusko TM (2021) The Immunoregulatory Role of the Signal Regulatory Protein Family and CD47 Signaling Pathway in Type 1 Diabetes. Front. Immunol. 12:739048. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.739048

Abstracts & Presentations

• Brown ME, Arnoletti JM, Sachs LK, Nguyen KQ, Lee JJ, Brusko TM. CD226_^– Human Regulatory T Cells Exhibit Increased Stability Compared to Conventionally Sorted Populations. Poster presented at: 18th Congress of the Immunology of Diabetes Society (IDS); 2021 Nov 1-4; Virtual. (Outstanding Abstract Award Received)
• Brown ME, Hanbali SR, Gomez Rodriguez LM, Arnoletti JM, Carpenter EB, Brusko TM. Human CD4⁺CD25⁺CD226^– Regulatory T Cells Demonstrate High Purity and Lineage Stability Following In Vitro Expansion for Adoptive Cell Therapy. Poster presented at: 81st Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association (ADA); 2021 Jun 25-29; Virtual.
• Brown ME, Hanbali SR, Arnoletti JM, Brusko TM. Human CD226- T Regulatory Cells Exhibit High Purity and Linage Stability Following Ex Vivo Expansion for Adoptive Cell Therapy. Poster presented at: 2021 Annual University of Florida – College of Medicine Pediatrics Science Day; 2021 June 02; Virtual.
• Sharp RC, Brown ME, Brusko TM. Modeling the SIRPγ and CD47 Pathway in Type 1 Diabetes Pathogenesis. Poster presented at: 2020 Annual Meeting of the Human Islet Research Network (HIRN); 2020 Sep 30 – Oct 02; Virtual.
• Sharp RC, Yeh WI, Brown ME, Brusko TM. Interrogating the Role of the SIRPγ and CD47 Pathway in the Pathogenesis of Type 1 Diabetes. Poster presented at: 2020 Annual University of Florida – College of Medicine Research Poster Session; 2020 Feb; Gainesville, FL.

Fellowships & Awards

• UF Center for Undergraduate Research – 2020 Emerging Scholar
• UF College of Medicine – 2020 University Scholar
• UF College of Medicine – 2021 University Scholar

Contact

Lab: (352) 273-9300

Email: matthewbrown@ufl.edu