Mechanisms of immune response

Luis Ferreira Moita

Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal

Sepsis is a disfunctional response of the organism to a severe infection and can result from several groups of pathogenic microorganisms. Bacterial infections are the most common cause, but other types of viral or fungal infections can also lead to sepsis. It occurs when the body, trying to eliminate the invading microorganisms, releases factors that cause damage to several tissues and affect the function of organs such as the brain, lungs, kidneys or liver. A major problem caused by a severe infection is a serious drop in blood pressure. If that cannot be controlled with the appropriate medication and other measures, the patient can go into septic shock and die. It is estimated that around 50 million people worldwide are affected by sepsis every year, of whom 10 million die.

Infections are a major cause of global mortality, and their incidence is increasing. A deeper understanding of how the immune system works is needed if they are to be treated better. Up to now, most models put forward to explain the body’s response have been based on how immune cells directly identify foreign microorganisms. However, this explanation has significant limitations. This project will explore the hypothesis that, in addition to directly detecting these microorganisms, the immune system is also capable of perceiving the physiological changes originated by the presence of the microorganisms in the body. The integration of both types of information determines how the immune response is initiated and its magnitude. The results of the project will enable a better understanding of the immune response and will potentially inform its treatment.

Initiation of immune responses by surveillance of homeostasis perturbations

€499,900.00