Dr. Robert and his team are interested in in developmental and evolutionary aspects of immune surveillance, tumor and viral immunity using the amphibian Xenopus as animal model. In addition to comparative studies on T cell and macrophage development, immunomodulation and anti-tumor immunity elicited by heat shock proteins, molecular evolution of immunologically relevant genes, and immunity to ranaviruses, Dr. Robert’s team has recently unveiled the importance of nonclassical MHC-restricted innate-like T cells outside mammals, particularly during early development and in antiviral immunity.