Title : Novel functions of the interferon system against virus infection

Abstract:

The interferon (IFN) system is a central component of the innate immune response to viral infection. Viral invasion triggers both antiviral and inflammatory pathways that establish host protection. While early inflammation is beneficial, excessive inflammatory responses—such as cytokine storms—can drive viral pathogenesis. Our research focuses on understanding how components of the IFN system coordinate the balance between antiviral defense and inflammation. Using both cell-based and mouse models, we have identified novel mechanisms by which the host curbs excessive inflammation to prevent cytokine-mediated damage. These findings have important translational implications for combating respiratory viral infections.

Biography:

Saurabh Chattopadhyay, Ph.D., is an associate professor in Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics at University of Kentucky (UK) College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, USA. His group studies virus infection and its interaction with host immune responses. Research in his laboratory is funded by the National Institutes of Health, Ohio Department of Health, Center for Disease Control, and American Heart Association. He graduated from Indian Institute of Technology Delhi in Biotechnology and did a postdoc in Virology at Cleveland Clinic. Before moving to UK, he was an associate professor at University of Toledo College of Medicine, Ohio.