General
Background:
Prof. James Di Santo obtained his MD/PhD from Cornell Medical College and the Sloan Kettering Institute in NYC, pursued postdoctoral training with Pr Alain Fisher (Necker Hospital, Paris) and Pr Klaus Rajewsky (Institute for Genetics, Cologne) before creating his own laboratory in 1999 at Institut Pasteur. He currently holds the position of Professor in the Immunology Department at Institut Pasteur and Director of Research within the French Medical Research Institute (Inserm). With more than 30 years of experience in fundamental and translational immunology, his main scientific interests are in the areas of lymphocyte biology, cytokines, transcription factors and signaling pathways in the development and function of both adaptive (T and B cell) and innate lymphoid cells (ILC, NK cells) in mice and man. In parallel, over the last 20 years, he has developed a series of humanized mouse models for the immune system that allows fundamental questions in human immunology especially in relation to infectious diseases to be addressed. Most recently, he has developed an integrated systems immunology approach using nasal swab samples to assess biology of an active mucosal site in healthy individuals and patients suffering from respiratory diseases.
Seminar: Understanding Determinants of Human Mucosal Immunity: One swab at a time...
The upper respiratory tract in colonized by microbial communities present in the mouth, pharynx and
nasal cavities. Some information on the corresponding microbiomes has been obtained especially with
respect to carriage of pathogenic bacteria (Staph aureus), although comprehensive studies are limited.
The impact of nasal microbiome variation on respiratory mucosal immunity in normal healthy individuals is not known but could provide insights into how local immune responses are regulated and influenced by environmental stimuli. We have characterized commensal and pathobiont microbiomes (bacterial, viral, fungal) as well as nasal cytokines and immune effectors (antimicrobial peptides, antibodies, metabolites) in a cohort of 1000 healthy individuals to better understand the key determinants of mucosal immunity in the upper respiratory tract. We have also used this nasal ‘pipeline’ to study immune responses following SARSCOV2 infection. A better understanding of the regulation of mucosal responsiveness can have a major impact on the development and implementation of future vaccine candidates as well as the regulation of systemic diseases, including metabolic, allergic, autoimmune, and psychiatric disorders.
Host: Klaas van Gisbergen