Among human respiratory fungal pathogens, spores are presumed infectious particles that upon inhalation first encounter and associate with pulmonary immune cells such as alveolar macrophages. This interaction is generally mediated by recognition of a fungal cell wall carbohydrate (e.g. β-(1-3)-glucan) with a carbohydrate binding receptor (e.g. Dectin-1). Prior work in the lab has shown that the major fungal ligands that alveolar macrophages are known to recognize do not appear to play significant roles in host innate immune cell interactions with Cryptococcus spores. My research focuses on identifying the carbohydrate composition of the spore coat of Cryptococcus spores and the role they play in immune cell recognition.