Chronic respiratory diseases are one of the leading causes of death and disability in the world. The epidemics of chronic inflammatory disorders of the upper and lower airways, as well as other allergic disorders have substantial impact on both the quality of life and life expectancy. Furthermore, it results in a very high economic burden for the patients and the whole society. Alarmingly, the prevalence of chronic respiratory disorders is accelerating. Due to environmental and lifestyle changes, there is an increasing frequency of allergies and respiratory viral and bacterial infections. Simultaneously, we are witnessing obesity and metabolic syndrome epidemics throughout the developed world. To date, there is no clear understanding of the connection between respiratory diseases, allergies and metabolic disorders. Recent findings demonstrate a strong link between immune effector and immune regulatory functions with metabolic dysregulations at the single cell level. These findings suggest that functions of the immune system might be significantly influenced by systemic metabolic dysregulations coupled with environmental exposures. We will analyze and investigate correlations between metabolism and immune cell function in allergic diseases.

Basic & Clinical Immunology Section

Chair: Milena Sokolowska
Secretary: Maria Escribese