Roberto Tinoco

Roberto Tinoco, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
Office 3244 McGaugh Hall
Phone: (949) 824-4926

Dr. Tinoco was recruited to UCI in 2018 to continue his studies on T cell exhaustion in murine models of melanoma and in chronic viral (LCMV) infection. He discovered an important role for TGF-beta in LCMV, which was produced by virus-specific CD8+ T cells. Dr. Tinoco also identified PSGL1 as a novel immune checkpoint in metastatic melanoma (Immunity 2016). He currently has three TGE students, Julia DeRogatis, Emily Neubert and Karla Viramontes (URM). As URM faculty member, Dr. Tinoco is committed to mentoring diversity trainees.

Arenavirus, Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, T cell, immuno-oncology, T cell exhaustion, co-inhibitory receptors, PSGL-1, immune checkpoints, melanoma, immune responses