Alison May, PhD
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Research Project:
Understanding Immune-Gland Interactions in the Airway
Grant Awarded:
- Innovation Award
Research Topics:
- basic biologic mechanisms
- computational biology
- immunology immunotherapy
Research Diseases:
- asthma
- COPD
- cystic fibrosis
The respiratory submucosal glands (SMGs) are responsible for protecting our lungs by producing airway mucus, which traps inhaled harmful organisms from our surrounding environment. Significant changes in SMGs occur in patients with diseases such as cystic fibrosis, asthma and COPD. Abnormally functioning SMGs secrete thickened mucus that cannot be cleared. This results in airway blockage, infection and inflammation. Recent evidence indicates that macrophages, a cell type of the immune system, are critical in repairing and regenerating airway tissue after injury. But we don’t know if, and how, these cells interact and signal to SMGs. To understand immune-gland interactions in the airway, we aim to define how macrophages promote the development and formation of SMGs, and how they regulate mechanisms needed to establish different SMG cell types. Understanding this relationship will give substantial insight into gland development, with the aim of identifying new treatments for glandular repair in airway disease.
Page last updated: October 7, 2024
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