Looking for a tenacious undergraduate student who seeks experience in biomedical research over the summer.
Adenosine is a metabolite that is known to play a role in termination of inflammation and promote tissue repair. There are four different G-protein coupled adenosine receptors (ARs): A1R, A2AR, A2BR and A3R through which adenosine signals. ARs are expressed in macrophages (immune cells) and help to coordinate the function of immune system. However, it is not known how changes in adenosine metabolism influences AR signaling and immune function. My lab has demonstrated that the A1R is required for the secretion of IL10 from macrophages. IL10 is a key cytokine that moderates inflammation and promotes a phenotypic change in macrophages from inflammatory (M1) to anti-inflammatory (M2). We will characterize the consequences of metabolic changes that dictate adenosine signaling and how they modulate inflammation in macrophages. This research has direct implications for understanding inflammatory diseases including liver disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer and others.
The summer student will learn basic molecular techniques and how they are applied to study the immune system. Students will obtain hands-on research using cell culture and microscopy to study macrophage behavior.
