Grant: Doctoral Award - Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships

Infection by the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) in children and elderly is associated with acute severe respiratory tract illness, such as bronchiolitis or pneumonia, which are linked with morbidity and mortality. The development of an efficient vaccine or treatment against RSV has failed so far. Therefore, the search for a novel treatment remains a priority and requires a better understanding of the RSV immunobiology. In particular, more information is needed on the molecular mechanisms that control the first line of immune response, known as innate immune response, which is able to limit viral spreading and which orchestrates the subsequent specific immune responses. The innate immune response involves the production of cytokines and chemokines. It is these factors that have the ability to limit viral spreading, and attract and activate immune cells to the site of infection. Our research is aimed at characterizing the molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of this innate immune response in order to define how the production of factors that limit viral infection can be enhanced. Our work specifically focuses on the role of oxygen derivatives, which we recently identified as being key regulators of this response. Oxygen derivatives not only regulate innate immunity. In the airways, the site of RSV infection, they serve to produce highly reactive, antimicrobial compounds. These compounds are able to diminish bacterial infections. However, it is not known if they also decrease viral infection of the airways. Therefore, this is an aspect we plan to investigate. Our research will contribute to a better understanding of the innate immune response and how health of the respiratory system can be enhanced in RSV infection. The obtained knowledge can be applied to other respiratory infections and diseases and will therefore support the development of new therapeutic agents against respiratory pathogens, which are urgently needed.