Infection & Immunity

Our sophisticated innate and adaptive immune systems exist to protect us from harmful microbes and pathogens we encounter in our daily lives. Research in this area is directed towards understanding the ways in which microbial infection trigger our innate and adaptive immune systems, the way sentinel dendritic cells (DC) recognize different infections and present a vast repertoire of foreign antigens to immune cells to trigger generation of effector immunity. We are further working to understand the mechanisms of primary (effector) and memory responses that clear infection and underlie immunity, the interaction of the immune system with acute and persistent microbial pathogens and normal microbial flora and the ways the immune response is controlled to maintain homeostasis of the system in the course of the lifespan, from birth to aging.