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Slater Clay

@slaterc.bsky.social
368 followers 350 following 12 posts

Mucosal Immunology & Anti-Tumor Immunity Postdoc | Wendy Garrett Lab | Harvard School of Public Health

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Reposted by Slater Clay
Joe Longo @joelongo.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
The #LongoLab @roswellpark.bsky.social is seeking a highly motivated postdoc to join our growing team studying how metabolism regulates tumor growth and anti-tumor immunity. More information here: www.roswellpark.org/careers/post...
roswellpark.org
Postdoctoral Fellow in Cancer and Immunometabolism
A postdoctoral position is available in the laboratory of Dr. Joseph Longo in the Department of Immunology at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. The Longo Lab studies how metabolism and nutriti...
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Reposted by Slater Clay
Andy Hogan @andyhogan82.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
🚨 New Publication Alert - out now in @science.org - We outline the environmental regulators of MAIT cells including the nutrients they need - with them coming into focus in cancer this is sure to be important - read it here doi.org/10.1126/scis...
doi.org
Environmental regulation of mucosal-associated invariant T cells: Adding food for thought
Nutrients are important environmental factors that affect the functional responses of MAIT cells to challenge.
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Slater Clay @slaterc.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
So good to see this finally out!
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Reposted by Slater Clay
Andy Hogan @andyhogan82.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
Delighted to share our latest paper out today - led by @ardeena-berisha.bsky.social - we show that we can boost the anti-cancer activity of human MAIT cells by getting them to use lactate & also directing them using bi-specific engagers as a proof of concept academic.oup.com/jimmunol/art...
academic.oup.com
Lactate conditioning reprograms mucosal-associated invariant T cell metabolism boosting effector function
Abstract. Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are unconventional T cells, which upon activation can display potent cytotoxic and cytokine-producing
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Reposted by Slater Clay
Waggoner Lab @labwaggoner.bsky.social · 05/12/2025
Macrophage MR1 antigen presentation promotes MAIT cell immunity and lung microbiota modulation www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... @science.org @thedohertyinst.bsky.social @hay-mish.bsky.social
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Slater Clay @slaterc.bsky.social · 03/11/2025
Thanks Andy! 🤞
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Slater Clay @slaterc.bsky.social · 02/11/2025
This was a team effort. Big thanks to all co-authors and collaborators @theGarrettLab.bsky.social, @JenTekle.bsky.social, @edreesrashan.bsky.social, @mvhlab.bsky.social, Yeun Shin, and Jon Clardy. (10/10)
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Slater Clay @slaterc.bsky.social · 02/11/2025
Key takeaway: Exogenous AcAc boosts anti-tumor MAIT cells by generating 5-OP-RU. This highlights a novel AcAc-MR1-MAIT axis with translational potential for CRC. (9/10)
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Slater Clay @slaterc.bsky.social · 02/11/2025
How? Here’s the twist: With the Clardy lab @harvardmed.bsky.social, we discovered that AcAc exposed to ambient oxygen spontaneously generates methylglyoxal, which is an important precursor in the formation of 5-OP-RU. (8/10)
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Slater Clay @slaterc.bsky.social · 02/11/2025
This suggested AcAc generates an MR1 ligand, but what could it be? This is where things got interesting. With help from @edreesrashan.bsky.social and @mvhlab.bsky.social, we found that AcAc and 5-A-RU form the potent MR1 ligand 5-OP-RU. (7/10)
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Slater Clay @slaterc.bsky.social · 02/11/2025
MR1 presents metabolites to MAITs and its expression is regulated by antigen, so: does AcAc affect MR1 expression? Yes! AcAc increased surface MR1 in both human PBMCs and mouse tumors, especially on monocytes- hinting they’re key in activating MAITs. (6/10)
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Slater Clay @slaterc.bsky.social · 02/11/2025
How does AcAc enhance anti-tumor MAIT cells? In cultures with human cells, AcAc expanded MAIT cells and increased their tumor killing- but only in the presence of 5-A-RU (a microbe-derived riboflavin intermediate), and if MR1 was able to present antigen. (5/10)
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Slater Clay @slaterc.bsky.social · 02/11/2025
scRNA-seq & flow cytometry showed AcAc increases tumor MAIT cells and enhances their expression of cytotoxic effectors like IFNg and granzyme B. Crucially, the anti-tumor effect was lost in mice lacking MAIT cells, showing they are essential for the anti-tumor effects. (4/10)
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Slater Clay @slaterc.bsky.social · 02/11/2025
Oral AcAc is rarely studied, partly because it’s so unstable. We solved this by giving esterified AcAc (EAA) in drinking water, which increased AcAc levels. Strikingly, EAA reduced tumor burden in multiple colorectal cancer models. (3/10)
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Slater Clay @slaterc.bsky.social · 02/11/2025
Ketogenic diets have gotten attention for potential benefits in cancer, but their high fat content and carb restriction have undesirable effects. Exogenous ketones are a more targeted approach, but their therapeutic potential isn’t clear. (2/10)
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Slater Clay @slaterc.bsky.social · 02/11/2025
Excited to share a preprint from my postdoc @theGarrettLab- now on bioRxiv! Oral acetoacetate (AcAc) suppresses tumor growth by expanding and activating MAIT cells… and the mechanism was a surprise 🧵👇 (1/10) www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
biorxiv.org
Acetoacetate suppresses colon cancer via an MR1-MAIT axis
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality and additional preventative, and therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. Ketogenic diets have mixed effects on tumorigenesis and comp...
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