Section: Research

Katherine Fitzgerald, Ph.D.

Academic Role: Associate Professor

Faculty Appointment(s) In:
   Infectious Diseases and Immunology
   Medicine

Other Affiliation(s):
   Center for AIDS Research
   Interdisciplinary Graduate Program
   Program in Immunology and Virology

Research Information

Sensing and Signaling in the Innate Immune Response

The innate immune system is essential for the initial detection of invading pathogens and subsequent activation of adaptive immunity. Three classes of germ-line encoded pattern recognition receptors, designated retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I)-like receptors (RLRs), Toll-like receptors (TLRs), and nucleotide oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors (NLRs) have been shown to sense microbial components. Very recently novel DNA binding proteins including DNA-dependent activator of Interferons (DAI) and absent in melanoma (AIM2) have also been shown to sense microbial DNA in the cytoplasm of cells. RLRs, TLRs and DAI regulate the transcription of the genes encoding proinflammatory cytokines and/or type I interferons (IFNs) in cell type-specific manners. In contrast the NLRs and AIM2 form large multiprotein complexes in cells termed ‘inflammasomes’ which control the activity of pro-caspase-1 and the maturation of pro-Interleukin (IL-1ß) and pro-IL18 into their active, cleaved and released forms. My lab is focussed on identifying and characterizing these sensors of microbial infection, defining the signal transduction pathways activated downstream of these receptors and understanding the role of these receptors, signaling molecules and the transcription factors they activate in host-defense The long-term objective of our research is to obtain a clear understanding of how the innate immune response functions and the interplay between innate immune signaling pathways and microbial pathogens. Such studies are likely to reveal novel therapeutic and immune-modulation strategies to eliminate acute and chronic viral and bacterial infections.

Office: LRB 309
Phone: 508-856-6518
Fax: 508-856-5463
E-mail: Katherine.Fitzgerald@umassmed.edu
Keywords: Infectious Disease, Inflammation/Inflammatory Diseases

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