MIST Early Career Scholar Awards in Mucosal Immunology

PROJECT ABSTRACT
The immune system at mucosal sites must be tightly regulated to mediate rapid immunity
to invading pathogens, while limiting over-reactive responses that drive chronic
inflammation. In particular, type 2 immune responses in the airway or gastrointestinal tract
are essential to protect from helminth parasites, but if dysregulated, drive asthma and
allergic inflammation. Despite this knowledge, we do not yet fully appreciate the complexity
of cellular and molecular signals that control these responses, which will be critical for
developing the next generation of preventative, therapeutic or curative treatments. The
fundamental focus of this renewal application for the Mucosal Immunology Studies Team is
to define novel pathways by which the type 2 immune response harnesses signals
associated with the nervous system to regulate rapid mucosal immunity and inflammation.
In this context, we will define: (i) the pathways that induce and regulate these neuronal
signals, (ii) the functional significance of these pathways in type 2 mucosal immunity and
inflammation, and (iii) whether it is possible to therapeutically target these signals to boost
immunity to helminth infection or reduced chronic allergic inflammation. We will employ
innovative approaches and develop new tools to address these fundamental gaps in
knowledge, and where possible, translate our findings from mice into human samples.
Results from these studies will significantly advance our understanding of the
pathways that are essential to mediate rapid type 2 immunity and inflammation at
mucosal sites and could provoke the next generation of preventative, therapeutic and
curative treatment strategies.

Grant Number: 3U01AI095608-16S1
NIH Institute/Center: NIH
Principal Investigator: David Artis