Grant: Project Grant

The immune system is made up of specialized cells that defend the body against infections. The brain also has immune cells that act as a natural defense against brain infections and injury. The immune cells in the brain, called microglia, play a role in helping the brain develop and function normally. In brain disorders like dementia or Autism microglia appear to change function and potentially harm the brain. My research program seeks to discover how microglia normally function in the brain and what triggers them to potentially malfunction in brain disorders. We specifically model repeated infections in mice to understand how human conditions with chronic inflammation impact the brain. Microglia in mice and humans are very similar and in mice we can directly measure how microglia change in response infection. This proposal will specifically identify new mechanisms that control how microglia respond to repeated infections, and if we can manipulate inflammation in microglia to dampen chronic brain inflammation. Together, our research findings will lead to a new understanding of immune function in the brain, and provide proof-of-concept for development of new immune-based treatments for mental health disorders.