# Alfred Singer > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Alfred_Singer > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Alfred_Singer.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Singer > Source revision: 1356611034 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|American immunologist}}{{Infobox person | name = Alfred Singer | birth_date = December 10, 1946 | citizenship = American | occupation = American immunologist | employer = the National Institutes of Health & the National Cancer Institute. }} '''Alfred Singer''' (born December 10, 1946) is an American [immunologist](/source/Immunology) who works at the [National Institutes of Health](/source/National_Institutes_of_Health) (NIH), where he is the Chief of the Experimental Immunology Branch of the [National Cancer Institute](/source/National_Cancer_Institute) (NCI) Center for Cancer Research.{{Cite web|url=https://ccr.cancer.gov/Experimental-Immunology-Branch/alfred-singer?qt-staff_profile_tabs=1#qt-staff_profile_tabs|title=Alfred Singer, M.D. {{!}} Center for Cancer Research|website=ccr.cancer.gov|access-date=2016-12-06}} He is best known for his work regarding [lymphocyte](/source/lymphocyte) development, particularly the differentiation of immature CD4+8+ (double positive) [thymocyte](/source/thymocyte)s into mature [T cell](/source/T_cell)s. Singer's work is foundational in the understanding of T cells and [MHC-restricted antigen recognition](/source/MHC_restriction).{{Cite journal|last1=Singer|first1=A.|last2=Hathcock|first2=K. S.|last3=Hodes|first3=R. J.|date=1980-03-01|title=Cellular and genetic control of antibody responses. VIII. MHC restricted recognition of accessory cells, not B cells, by parent-specific subpopulations of normal F1 T helper cells|journal=Journal of Immunology |volume=124|issue=3|pages=1079–1085|doi=10.4049/jimmunol.124.3.1079 |issn=0022-1767|pmid=6153669|s2cid=25179621 |doi-access=free}} Singer's work explores the mechanisms with which a body identifies what is self and what is not self. At a time when many researchers understood that T cells recognize self through identification of the [major histocompatibility complex](/source/major_histocompatibility_complex) (MHC) it was not understood how T cells acquire that capability. Using a unique approach to thymus transplantation, Singer showed that it is the [thymus](/source/thymus) that educates self-recognition specificity in T cells.{{Cite journal|last1=Singer|first1=A.|last2=Hathcock|first2=K. S.|last3=Hodes|first3=R. J.|date=1982-01-01|title=Self recognition in allogeneic thymic chimeras. Self recognition by T helper cells from thymus-engrafted nude mice is restricted to the thymic H-2 haplotype|journal=The Journal of Experimental Medicine|volume=155|issue=1|pages=339–344|issn=0022-1007|pmc=2186566|pmid=6459401|doi=10.1084/jem.155.1.339}} A series of later studies in Singer's lab demonstrated that the property of self-recognition in T cells is acquired during development in the thymus rather than predetermined prior to development or genetically encoded in the [genome](/source/genome). == Biography == Singer was raised in [Port Jervis, New York](/source/Port_Jervis%2C_New_York), the eldest son of a baker. He studied philosophy at the [Massachusetts Institute of Technology](/source/Massachusetts_Institute_of_Technology), where he received his BS in 1968 and met his wife, [Dinah Singer](/source/Dinah_Singer). He received his MD from the [Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons](/source/Columbia_University_College_of_Physicians_and_Surgeons) and was a fellow in immunology at the [Rockefeller University](/source/Rockefeller_University) before joining the NCI as a clinical associate in the Immunology Branch in 1975. In 1982, Singer established the Experimental Immunology Branch, of which he remained the branch chief. == Selected publications == * Singer A, Hathcock KS, Hodes RJ: Self recognition in allogeneic thymic chimeras. Self recognition by T helper cells from thymus-engrafted nude mice is restricted to the thymic H-2 [haplotype](/source/haplotype). ''The Journal of Experimental Medicine''. 155 (1): 339–344, 1982 * Mu J, Tai X, Iyer SS, Wiessman JD, Singer A, Singer DS: Regulation of MHC class I expression by Foxp3 and its effect on regulatory T cell function. ''Journal of Immunology''. 192: 2892–903, 2014.{{Cite journal|last1=Mu|first1=Jie|last2=Tai|first2=Xuguang|last3=Iyer|first3=Shankar S.|last4=Weissman|first4=Jocelyn D.|last5=Singer|first5=Alfred|last6=Singer|first6=Dinah S.|date=2014-03-15|title=Regulation of MHC class I expression by Foxp3 and its effect on regulatory T cell function|journal=Journal of Immunology|volume=192|issue=6|pages=2892–2903|doi=10.4049/jimmunol.1302847|issn=1550-6606|pmc=3952169|pmid=24523508}} * Tai X, Erman B, Alag A, Mu J, Kimura M, Katz G, Guinter T, McCaughtry T, Etzensperger R, Feigenbaum L, Singer DS, Singer A: Foxp3 [transcription factor](/source/transcription_factor) is proapoptotic and lethal to developing regulatory T cells unless counterbalanced by cytokine survival signals. ''Immunity''. 38: 1116–28, 2013.{{Cite journal|last1=Tai|first1=Xuguang|last2=Erman|first2=Batu|last3=Alag|first3=Amala|last4=Mu|first4=Jie|last5=Kimura|first5=Motoko|last6=Katz|first6=Gil|last7=Guinter|first7=Terry|last8=McCaughtry|first8=Tom|last9=Etzensperger|first9=Ruth|date=2013-06-27|title=Foxp3 transcription factor is proapoptotic and lethal to developing regulatory T cells unless counterbalanced by cytokine survival signals|journal=Immunity|volume=38|issue=6|pages=1116–1128|doi=10.1016/j.immuni.2013.02.022|issn=1097-4180|pmc=3700677|pmid=23746651}} * Kimura MY, Pobezinsky LA, Guinter TI, Thomas J, Adams A, Park JH, Tai X, Singer A: IL-7 signaling must be intermittent, not continuous, during CD8+ T cell [homeostasis](/source/homeostasis) to promote cell survival instead of cell death. ''Nature Immunology''. 14: 143–51, 2013.{{Cite journal|last1=Kimura|first1=Motoko Y.|last2=Pobezinsky|first2=Leonid A.|last3=Guinter|first3=Terry I.|last4=Thomas|first4=Julien|last5=Adams|first5=Anthony|last6=Park|first6=Jung-Hyun|last7=Tai|first7=Xuguang|last8=Singer|first8=Alfred|date=2013-02-01|title=IL-7 signaling must be intermittent, not continuous, during CD8+ T cell homeostasis to promote cell survival instead of cell death|journal=Nature Immunology|volume=14|issue=2|pages=143–151|doi=10.1038/ni.2494|issn=1529-2916|pmc=3552087|pmid=23242416}} * Van Laethem F, Tikhonova AN, Pobezinsky LA, Tai X, Kimura MY, Le Saout C, Guinter TI, Adams A, Sharrow SO, Bernhardt G, Feigenbaum L, Singer A: Lck availability during thymic selection determines the recognition specificity of the T cell repertoire. ''Cell''. 154: 1326–41, 2013.{{Cite journal|last1=Van Laethem|first1=François|last2=Tikhonova|first2=Anastasia N.|last3=Pobezinsky|first3=Leonid A.|last4=Tai|first4=Xuguang|last5=Kimura|first5=Motoko Y.|last6=Le Saout|first6=Cécile|last7=Guinter|first7=Terry I.|last8=Adams|first8=Anthony|last9=Sharrow|first9=Susan O.|date=2013-09-12|title=Lck availability during thymic selection determines the recognition specificity of the T cell repertoire|journal=Cell|volume=154|issue=6|pages=1326–1341|doi=10.1016/j.cell.2013.08.009|issn=1097-4172|pmc=3792650|pmid=24034254}} * SInger A, Adoro S, Park JH: Lineage fate and intense debate: myths, models and mechanisms of CD4- versus CD8-lineage choice. ''Nature Reviews Immunology''. 2008 Oct; 8(10): 788–801. doi 10.1038/nri2416.{{Cite journal|last1=Singer|first1=Alfred|last2=Adoro|first2=Stanley|last3=Park|first3=Jung-Hyun|date=2008-10-01|title=Lineage fate and intense debate: myths, models and mechanisms of CD4- versus CD8-lineage choice|journal=Nature Reviews Immunology|language=en|volume=8|issue=10|pages=788–801|doi=10.1038/nri2416|issn=1474-1733|pmc=2760737|pmid=18802443}} == References == {{Reflist}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Singer, Alfred}} Category:1946 births Category:Living people Category:American immunologists Category:National Institutes of Health people Category:MIT School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences alumni Category:Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons alumni --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Alfred Singer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Singer) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Singer?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.