Title : Host brakes on viral inflammation

Abstract:

The interferon (IFN) system is a critical first-line defense against viral infection, orchestrating antiviral programs while shaping early inflammatory responses. Although inflammation is essential for pathogen control, dysregulated cytokine production is a major driver of morbidity and mortality in severe viral diseases. Our work investigates how specific components of the IFN signaling network modulate this balance between antiviral immunity and pathological inflammation. Through integrated studies in primary cells and mouse models of respiratory viral infection, we have uncovered previously unrecognized host mechanisms that actively restrain excessive cytokine responses without compromising antiviral protection. These pathways delineate a host-intrinsic brake on inflammation and reveal potential therapeutic targets for mitigating cytokine-driven immunopathology in acute respiratory infections

Biography:

Saurabh Chattopadhyay, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. His research investigates how viral pathogens interface with innate immune signaling pathways, with a particular focus on interferon-regulated mechanisms that shape antiviral defense and inflammatory responses. His laboratory has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Ohio Department of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Heart Association. Dr. Chattopadhyay earned his doctoral degree in Biotechnology from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and completed postdoctoral training in Virology at the Cleveland Clinic. Before joining the University of Kentucky, he was a faculty member at the University of Toledo College of Medicine.