Patrick E. Fields, Ph.D.

Contact Information:
Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
University of Kansas Medical Center
3901 Rainbow Boulevard
1025 Lied
Kansas City, KS 66160
Phone: (913) 588-0953
Fax: (913) 588-8287
Email: pfields@kumc.edu

Training:

Ph.D., University of Chicago, 1998

Postdoctoral, Yale University, 1999-2005

Academic Position(s):

Assistant Professor
Division of Cancer & Developmental Biology
Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine

Research Interests:

Work in our laboratory is focused on the mechanisms of T cell activation and differentiation as they relate to immunological tolerance and disease. Specifically, we are interested in both membrane-proximal and -distal (nuclear) events regulating the gene expression involved in cell fate decisions during peripheral T cell differentiation. These studies will facilitate our long-term goal, which is to understand normal T cell function at the molecular level.

A major area of focus in the laboratory is the study of chromatin remodeling in the regulation of cytokine gene expression during Th1/Th2 differentiation. We recently identified a locus control region (LCR), which regulates gene expression in the Th2 cytokine locus. LCRs are regulatory elements that are thought to control gene expression by among other mechanisms, regulating the accessibility of gene promoters to transcriptional machinery. We will use genetic and molecular biology approaches to study the mechanism by which this LCR functions.

The study of membrane-proximal signaling will focus on the regulation of the Ras/MAP kinase pathway by a novel family of negative feedback inhibitors that are induced by T cell receptor stimulation. The members of this gene family show different patterns of expression in T cells and their expression changes dramatically upon T cell activation and differentiation. Preliminary studies have revealed that these gene products may mediate cell fate decisions by regulating cell survival and differentiation. These studies will be extended by using genetic (knockout and transgenics) as well basic molecular biology and biochemical approaches to examine the role of this gene family in the immune response.

Selected publications:

• Fields, P. E., Kim, S. T., and Flavell, R. A. (2002). CUTTING EDGE: Changes in Histone Acetylation at the IL-4 and IFN-g Loci Accompany Th1/Th2 Differentiation. J. Immunol. 169(2):647-650.
• Lee, G. R., Fields, P. E., and Flavell, R. A. (2003). The Th2 Cytokine Locus is Regulated by a Locus Control Region. Immunity 16(4):450-460.
• Fields, P. E., Lee, G. R., Kim, S. T., Bartsevich, V. V., and Flavell, R. A. (2004). Th2-specific Chromatin Remodeling and Enhancer Activity in the Th2 Cytokine Locus Control Region. Immunity 21(6):865-876.