Kevin Alexander Estrada Alamo

B cells have key surface proteins, such as the B cell receptor and CD19, that are important for their function. I am using computational protein design to investigate how the spatial arrangement of these proteins influences B cell signaling and activity.

B cells rely on key surface proteins, such as the B cell receptor (BCR) and CD19, to recognize antigens and trigger antibody production. While the BCR directly senses antigens, CD19 amplifies the BCR signal to enhance activation. Research has shown that BCR clustering is important for initiating signaling and that CD19 interacts with different proteins depending on the B cell’s state. However, the precise organization of these receptors and how their spatial arrangement influences signaling remains unknown. To address this, I am using computational protein design to create tools to cluster the BCR into defined assemblies and lock CD19 in specific conformations. By studying how these changes impact B cell signaling, this work aims to reveal how the organization of the BCR and CD19 at the cell membrane shapes B cell function.