Illuminating antiviral inflammation and neuroinflammation
ESR4: Hannah Wiggett
Institut Pasteur, Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology (France)
Supervisor: Dr J.P. Levraud, co-supervisor: local: Dr P. Bousso, external academic: Y. Crow (P10), non academic: Dr J. Gehrig (P12)
Objectives: study thresholds and propagation of type I interferon (IFN) -mediated inflammation, particularly in the central nervous system, using zebrafish and mouse models. 1) establish a controlled genetic system to aseptically induce local IFN production; 2) measure propagation of the IFN response using immediate reporters of IFN signalling; 3) analyse impact of the antiviral response on immune, vascular and neural functions.
Expected Results: 1/ optogenetic systems to induce controlled IFN secretion 2/ spatiotemporal dynamics of IFN signal spreading 3/ phenotypic analysis of CNS cell types (immune, neural, vascular) after stimulation by IFN 4/ identification of new small molecules that modulate IFN signalling.
Secondments: Academic: P2 Leiden: Dr. M Varela, Month 14, 1 month, behavioural testing; P10 Edinburgh: Prof. Y Crow, Month 18, 1
month, transcriptome data analysis. Industrial: P12 Acquifer: Dr. Jochen Gehrig, Month 33, 2 months, small molecule screen.