Researchers
Research Description
The innate immune system is comprised of white blood cells that provide the body’s first line of defense against infections. These cells are charged with monitor our tissues, rapidly responding when a pathogen is present, but not responding to normal tissue. The decision to respond or not respond is regulated by molecules on the cell surface that send positive signals for the cell to respond or negative signals telling the cell not to respond. The cell’s response is determined by the balance of these two types of signals. The goal of this project is to fine tune the signals these cells receive, favoring HSV-1 elimination while minimizing damage to normal tissue