Trevor Deon Burt

Newborn infants, especially premature infants, are at risk for severe infections. This susceptibility to infection is a consequence of the unique nature of the newborn's immune system, which is still in the process of learning how to create protective immune responses against disease-causing microbes, while maintaining immune tolerance to self. My research focuses on T cells, and how they function in the developing immune system. Specifically, I am interested in how T cells are able to maintain immune tolerance to oneself, while also protecting against infection. By understanding these cells and their function, we hope to develop targeted therapies that will help newborn babies and older children to prevent and fight infections. As a neonatologist, my greatest hope is that our work will lead to changes in practice that help to improve the survival and quality of life for our smallest patients.