Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2012

Mentor:                       Dr. Bruce Beutler    
Department:             Center for Genetics of Host Defense      
Room number:         NC 8.308B   
Mail Code:                 8505
Phone number:        214-648-5838
E-mail:                       Bruce.Beutler@UTSouthwestern.edu
Project title:               Determining genes of host defense

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable):

Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): 
Animal IRB is Pending

Project Type (patient-based research, animal-based research, or basic research; this characterization is only to permit a general classification for grouping similar types of projects)
Basic and animal based research.

Brief Description of Project:

The studies of the Beutler lab focus on the determination of the receptors that alert us to when we have an infection.  A genetic approach is used to answer this question through a study of the innate immune system.

Major focus areas include:

1. Signalling pathways and innate immune sensors are monitored to detect mutations related to microbe detection.
2. Mutations to genes of host defense are determined phenotypically by infecting ENU-mutated mice with sublethal doses of an authentic pathogen; normal mice survive while mice that die reveal mutations in genes important to host defense.
3. ENU mediated mutagenesis can render mice highly resistant or highly susceptible to infection, autoimmune disease, or inflammatory disease. As there are many genes involved in the immune system, there is an increased likelihood of random mutation to one of these genes.
4. The connection between the innate and adaptive immune response is being studied.

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students: