The first major interest of my laboratory is to understand how B-lymphocyte activation is initiated and regulated. B cell-mediated antibody responses are one of the major components of the adapted immunity. B cells sense antigens in their environment through the B cell receptor (BCR). The binding of antigen to the BCR initiates signaling cascades and rapid internalization of antigen. The internalized antigen is processed and presented in the context of MHC class II for recognition by T helper cell. The activated T cells provide additional stimulatory signals that are essential for the induction of T cell-dependent antibody responses and the generation of memory B cells. The current focus of my laboratory is to study the cellular interplay between BCR signaling and antigen processing pathways. In addition, we are interested in understanding the unique cellular properties of memory B cells that give these cells longevity and the ability to rapidly expand and differentiate into antibody secreting cells.