Isaac Chui (Harvard Medical School) will be speaking as part of the Department of Molecular Genetics Colloquium MMG1003H: Winter 2024 Seminar Series.
The seminar is open to faculty and trainees who are not affiliated with the Department of Molecular Genetics.
Seminar abstract
Neuroimmune interactions play a critical role in regulating homeostasis and host defense. Barrier tissue sites are densely innervated by sensory neurons that mediate pain and itch. We and others have found that these neurons directly sense microbial pathogens and their mediators including toxins and enzymes. They then release neuropeptides and other mediators that signal to immune cells to regulate their function. Microbes also in some instances hijack these neuroimmune interactions for their advantage. Therefore, understanding how neurons interact with microbes and immune cells can lead to novel understanding of host defense and barrier immunity.