Grant: Operating Grant

One of the body's most vital functions is its ability to fight off infections. Immune cells constitute special and well tuned machineries whose goal is to recognize microbial invaders and produce a protective response for keeping us healthy. Adults are able to fend off infections much better than are infants. However, the reasons for the greater vulnerability of infants to infections and the development of immune defences early in life remains poorly understood. The goal of our research is to examine the way the human immune cells work early in life and to gain insights on why premature newborns are so susceptible to infections. Ultimately, we hope that a better understanding of factors responsible for the reduced ability to fight off serious infections will help researchers and doctors develop better treatments to prevent the dreadful consequences of infections in vulnerable newborns.