Grant: Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

The development and function of immune cells is influenced by the environment in which they reside and allows for tissue-specific regulation of inflammatory responses. Barrier tissues such as the intestine are the first line of defense, which require immune cells capable of providing quick and efficient responses against pathogens and environmental stressors. Inflammatory bowel disease or IBD has been suggested to be the result of dysregulated inflammatory responses to environmental stimuli in the intestine. Thus, a better understanding of the cellular and molecular networks regulating immune cell function in this barrier tissue could lead to improved therapies for IBD. The microbiota is the ensemble of living microorganisms residing in and on our body. Immune cells and the intestinal microbiota exist in a cooperative reciprocal relationship: while immune cells impede bacterial overgrowth and regulate composition, microbial cells shape the development and function of the tissue-resident immune cells. Indeed, maintaining a highly diverse microbiota has been shown to regulate immune cell populations and enhance the protective capacity of our immune system. However, the specific microbes and the molecules they use to educate our immune system are only beginning to be discovered. Therefore, the goal of this project is to investigate how the microbiota can regulate development and enhance the protective capacity of intestinal immune cells to limit tissue damage and promote barrier integrity. Results from these studies will inform strategies that maximize the protective capacity of the gut immune system and minimize uncontrolled responses that lead to disease.