Laboratory of Immunogenetics
PI: Prof. Alessandra Pontillo
The research in the Laboratory of Immunogenetics focuses on human genetics of innate immunity and inflammation with particular interest in the multiprotein complex of the inflammasome. This work encompasses a wide spectrum of experimental approaches from genotyping and association studies to inflammasome analysis in leukocytes and cell linhages carrying mutated proteins.
Young Investigator: Dr. Vinicius Nunes Cordeiro Leal
Neutrophil's proteases, stored in different types of granules, are produced during development in the bone marrow but are released and modulated according to the type of infection or stress situation, presenting a functional pleiotropism that remains underexplored. Our research focus on the dysregulation of these proteases (i.e.:MMP-9) and the interplay with the inflammasome in acute and chronic inflammation and to identify potential biomarkers and promising therapeutic targets.
