A dendritic cell is an immune cell that captures foreign particles, or antigens, in the body and presents them to other immune cells to begin an immune response. Dendritic cells are important because they can initiate the body’s defense against infections and prevent autoimmunity, which is when the body mistakenly attacks its own healthy organs and tissues. Dendritic cells could be a target for new therapeutics, but it is very difficult to accurately control them. The goal of this project is to produce synthetic antigen-presenting cells (SAPCs) that recreate the activities of natural dendritic cells. Using new tools in nanotechnology and bioengineering, the project will develop SAPCs that can present antigens to other immune cells to improve the immune response to the antigens. This work will provide new knowledge on how the size of SAPCs affects their function and will explore engineering strategies to develop size-changing SAPCs for optimal immune stimulation. The project will also have significant educational and societal influence. The research activities will be incorporated into existing summer programs at the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering that will provide direct research experience to high school and undergraduate students and provide graduate students with excellent opportunities to develop their research skills and contribute to groundbreaking discoveries. Dendritic cells play a critical role in balancing immune activation and suppression, there