University of California-Los Angeles · BiologyCrooks Lab
Gay M Crooks · Los Angeles, California
Research Focus
Dr. Gay M. Crooks' research lab at UCLA focuses on understanding how T cells are developed in the thymus, an organ crucial for producing immune cells. The lab studies both the cellular processes and the genetic factors, like the BCL11B gene, that influence T cell development, especially from pluripotent stem cells. They also explore the role of lymphatic vasculature in the thymus during its early development, aiming to improve T cell immunotherapies for cancer treatment and enhance immune function.
T cell developmentthymopoiesispluripotent stem cellsBCL11Blymphatic endothelium
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate the role of BCL11B in T cell lineage specification and commitment
AIM 02Characterize lymphatic endothelial cells in the neonatal thymus
AIM 03Determine the impact of vascular development on thymic architecture
AIM 04Assess how manipulating lymphatic growth affects T cell egress and differentiation
AIM 05Uncover mechanisms of T cell differentiation from pluripotent stem cells
Skills the Lab Values
single cell RNA sequencingCRISPR gene editingflow cytometrycell cultureanimal models
Output against the department
Publications218top 29% of dept.298th of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations9.4ktop 40% of dept.416th of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.