Daniel Olive

Daniel Olive identified BTN3A1 (CD277) as the key molecule required for phosphoantigen-mediated activation of Vgamma9Vdelta2 T cells, resolving the fundamental question of how these cells detect metabolic perturbations in cancer cells through mevalonate pathway dysregulation. His structural and functional studies revealed that intracellular phosphoantigens bind the BTN3A1 B30.2 domain, inducing conformational changes that trigger gamma-delta TCR recognition. This discovery enabled rational drug design of BTN3A1 agonist antibodies and small molecules to enhance gamma-delta T cell anti-tumor responses.