The Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute is seeking a partner to commercialize methods of modulating the CD44 pathway to treat immune and autoimmune disorders.

Memory T cells are a subset of T cells that persist long after an infection has occurred. Optimal immunity depends on the regulated expansion, cell death, and survival of cells that become memory T cells. Although the surface protein CD44 is used widely as a "memory cell marker" its function was unknown. The current invention identifies CD44 expression and stimulation as essential for the generation of memory cells by promoting survival of their precursors, effector cells. Methods are provided that both increase T helper cell survival for uses in infection, and decrease memory T cell survival for use in autoimmune diseases such as diabetes.