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KAWSE ADVANCE Distinguished Lecture Series: Mary O'Riordan

The Division of Biology and KAWSE presents: 

"STRESSing Out Over Infection - How Cellular Stress Shapes Innate Immunity" 

Mary O'Riordan, Professor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Michigan, will present: 

Innate immune cells are wired to sense danger and stress, using existing organelle stress circuits to amplify proinflammatory signaling. We explore mechanisms of innate immune responses to bacterial infection, focusing on stress sensing and signaling in the ER, mitochondria and cytosol. Our previous studies have identified the ER stress sensor IRE1 as a critical regulator of macrophage and neutrophil innate immune signaling. Moreover, IRE1 acts to control pro-inflammatory through multiple pathways, including programming mitochondrial stress. Infection or Toll-like receptor engagement signals profound changes in mitochondrial metabolism, signaling and architecture. Our current studies are elucidating the contribution of key mitochondrial components, such as the phospholipid cardiolipin, to switching mitochondrial function from homeostasis to supporting pro-inflammatory signaling. Collectively, our data support a model where regulators of ER and mitochondrial stress shape and scaffold the innate immune response to infection.

If you would like to visit with Dr. Mary O’Riordan, please contact Steph Shames at sshames@ksu.edu.


Monday, October 25 at 3:30pm

Ackert Hall, 221 ( Map)
1717 Claflin Rd Manhattan, KS 66506‐4900