Molecular determinants of inflammatory caspase activity upon inflammasomes (2019-2022)
Abstract
Most processes fundamental to life rely on the timely, and regulated, execution of cellular functions. One biological system in which both timing and regulation is paramount is the innate immune system, which rapidly detects invading microbes and induces a measured and timely antimicrobial response to clear infection. We do not currently understand how some immune pathways are turned on or off. This proposal aims to address this key knowledge gap, by characterising a novel mechanism for timely and controlled immune system activation and immune cell death via the non-canonical inflammasome. These studies will yield fundamental insight into mechanisms of mammalian inflammasome, inflammation and anti-microbial responses.
