Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious diseases
Autoimmune pathogenesis
The research of our Unit has been always focused on understanding the immunological mechanisms regulating the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and type 1 diabetes (T1D). In the last decade we worked on several projects aimed at clarifying how the intestinal environment and the crosstalk between the gut microbiota and immune cells modulate the pathogenesis of extra-intestinal autoimmune diseases.
Research activity
The current work of my research team focuses on the mechanisms controlling activation and expansion of pathogenic autoimmune T cells at the intestinal level in Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Specifically, we are studying how the microbial and metabolic gut environment modulates autoimmunity and alters the Treg/Teff ratio promoting activation and acquisition of an effector Th1/Th17 phenotype by self-reactive T cells in the gut mucosa. In parallel, we are analyzing how the breakage of the gut barrier integrity and molecular mimicry mechanisms promote the activation of autoreactive T cells at the intestinal level. Overall our cellular immunology laboratory exploits genetically engineered mouse models and primary immune cells isolated from human intestinal tissues and blood to answer questions related to how environmental factors (diet, drugs, infections, etc.) modulate the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases by altering the gut microbiota and eliciting pathogenic innate and adaptive immune responses at the intestinal and systemic level.
