ABOUT
Dr. Tinoco is an Assistant Professor at the University of California, Irvine, School of Biological Sciences, in the department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry. He is a member of the UCI Institute for Immunology, the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center (CFCCC), the Cancer Research Institute (CRI), and the Center for Virus Research (CVR). He completed his Ph.D. training at UC San Diego, and discovered how transforming growth factor beta (TGF-b) signaling promoted the generation of exhausted T cell during chronic viral infection (Immunity 2009).
As a postdoctoral fellow at SBP Discovery and UC San Diego, he discovered a new immune checkpoint function for the adhesion molecule, P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) that induced T cell exhaustion during chronic viral infection and melanoma tumor development (Immunity 2016). We highlighted our findings and reviewed PSGL-1 biology (Trends Immunology 2017), and provided insight on potential PSGL-1 therapeutics (Immunotherapy 2017).
Dr. Tinoco is also interested in immune responses to respiratory viruses and discovered an important function for fucosyltransferases in supporting memory CD4+ T cell differentiation during influenza viral infection (J Immunology 2018). His laboratory continues efforts to uncover immune regulators that promote T cell dysfunction during viral infections and tumors. He is also collaborating with CVR members to investigate immune responses to the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2.
EDUCATION
University of California, San Diego
Ph.D. Biology
Advisor: Elina Zuniga, Ph.D.
Chronic viral infections
University of California, Irvine
B.S. Neurobiology
Advisor: Victoria Niklas, M.D.
Intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes
HONORS
- 2019 American Cancer Society Grant
- 2018 Department of Defense Early Career Award
- 2018 Melanoma Research Alliance Early Career Award
- 2014 UC President and Chancellor’s Fellowship
- 2011 NIH UC San Diego IRACDA Fellowship
- 2005 NIH LSAMP-BD Fellowship
MEET THE TINOCO LAB
Monique Henriquez
Laboratory Manager
Monique joined the Tinoco lab in fall of 2018 as the Laboratory Manager. She is responsible for managing the mouse colony, performing in-vivo experiments, training incoming students, and overall making sure the lab runs smoothly.
Monique obtained her Bachelor’s degree at University of California, San Diego in 2013. She previously worked at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Research Institute.
Outside of the lab Monique is a foodie, loves to travel, and spend time with family.
Karla Viramontes
Graduate Student
Karla Viramontes completed her undergraduate from University of California, San Diego in Microbiology. After graduating she continued to do research at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology, where she worked on studying the immune system and its response to Flavivirus infection, such Zika and Dengue virus.
Karla is now a graduate student in the Tinoco lab studying cancer immunology. Her project includes the use of in vivo melanoma tumor mouse models to look at immune checkpoints and its effects on T cell exhaustion. Her goal is to eventually get a better understanding of T cell exhaustion that can lead to potential immunotherapies.
In her free time, Karla likes playing soccer, going to farmers markets, exploring new places, and visiting family and friends.
Melissa Thone
Postdoctural Fellow
Melissa completed her Ph.D. at UC Irvine in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering followed by a 1-year postdoc and lecturer position at UC Irvine in Pharmaceutical Sciences. After working in industry specializing in immune monitoring, she was inspired to return to the lab to develop immunotherapies.
Melissa joined the Tinoco Lab in August 2022 as a Postdoctoral Fellow in the NIH T32 IDCR Program. Her current project investigates immune checkpoints and their impacts on DC dysfunction and T cell exhaustion using melanoma and viral models.
Outside of the lab, you can find Melissa hiking or surfing, hanging out with friends, cooking, and walking her dog.
Jamie-Jean De La Torre
Graduate Student
Jamie-Jean joined the Tinoco Lab as a PhD student in 2023. She completed her undergraduate studies in Biology at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2020, where she first began researching the tumor microenvironment in triple-negative breast cancer. After graduation, she continued her journey in research as a postbaccalaureate CRTA fellow at the National Cancer Institute, where she studied T cell development until 2022.
Jamie-Jean is now a graduate student in Dr. Tinoco’s lab, and she is looking forward to continuing her training as she studies cancer immunology in the context of T cell exhaustion. She hopes to gain a better understanding of the anti-tumor immune response in order to potentially identify mechanisms that can be exploited to treat cancer in preclinical models.
Outside of lab, Jamie-Jean enjoys relaxing with friends and family, creating content for r/Immunologymemes, and crocheting while watching tv shows.
LAB ALUMNI
Emily Neubert
Former Graduate Student
Emily completed her Ph.D. in the Tinoco Lab July of 2023. She extensively studied T-cell responses to acute and chronic viral infections, using in vivo models.
Julia DeRogatis
Former Graduate Student
Julia completed her Ph.D. in the Tinoco lab May of 2023. During her time in the lab she investigated immune checkpoints in melanoma tumor models.
Julia is now a Postdoc in Discovery Immunology at Janseen.
Kaley Mitchell
Former Undergraduate Student
Kaley was in the Tinoco lab Winter 2021 and assisted with experiments focused on investigating the role of PSGL1 in conditional KO models during LCMV infection.
Jonathan Luu
Undergraduate Student
Jonathan joined the Tinoco Lab in Winter of 2022 as an undergraduate student in the Bio 199 program. He assisted in various projects in the lab which focused on understanding T cell exhaustion during LCMV infection.
Shanyao Jiao
Former Master’s Student
Shanyao completed her Master’s degree in the Tinoco lab Spring of 2022. During her time in the lab Shanyao focused on histology for an Alzhimer’s Dieases model.
Amy Takahashi
Former Master’s Student
Amy was in the Tinoco Lab from 2018-2019, while she completed her Master of Science in Biotechnology Management at UCI.
Amy currently works at Edwards Lifesciences in Project Management.