Our lab is interested in understanding the role and function of innate-like T cells in immunity to infection and other inflammatory conditions. Innate-like T cells such as Natural Killer T (NKT) cells or Mucosal-Associated Invariant T (MAIT) cells utilize αβ T cell receptors to recognize non-peptide antigens presented by evolutionarily conserved non-polymorphic MHC-like antigen presenting molecules. NKT cells recognize self- and microbial lipid antigens presented by CD1d molecules, and can have either protective or harmful roles in diverse pathological states, including microbial infection, autoimmunity, allergy, and tumor immunity. The profound immunomodulatory potential of NKT cells stems from the unique way in which they combine both classically innate and classically adaptive immunological features. MAIT cells recognize vitamin B metabolite antigens presented by MR1 molecules, and their roles in mucosal homeostasis and protective immunity are only beginning to be unraveled. The goal of our research is to better understand how microbial and self-antigens, the inflammatory milieu, and interactions with other immune cells regulate the functions of innate-like T cells in antimicrobial responses, allergy, autoimmunity, and tolerance.