Donna Alexandra Macduff

My laboratory studies the innate immune responses to viral and bacterial pathogens. It is essential that our immune systems are able to sense and respond to pathogenic microbes to prevent them from causing disease. The type and magnitude of the immune response is critical for controlling their replication while minimizing the damage to the host. Too little or the wrong type of inflammation and the host can fail to control the pathogen and may succumb to the infection. Too much inflammation will damage tissues and the host may succumb to immunopathology. Our lab is interested in understanding how these interactions between the host and pathogenic or commensal microbes serve to shape the mammalian immune system to effectively limit the replication of the microbes while minimalizing damage to infected tissues. More specifically, our research interests are focused on the mechanisms and consequences of innate immune sensing and signaling in response to a variety of microorganisms. A detailed mechanistic understanding of these processes can help to develop improved vaccination strategies, and identify targets for therapeutics to enhance or dampen the immune response in an appropriate and specific manner.