Megan Tierney Baldridge, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Infectious Diseases Division, Departments of Medicine and Molecular Microbiology, received a project grant to explore the interactions between bacteriophages (phages) and human intestinal epithelial cells, aiming to uncover how phages, which infect bacteria, also influence human cells.
Phages play a vital role in modulating gut bacterial populations, but emerging evidence suggests they are internalized by human cells and directly modulate human immune responses. In patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), altered phage populations have been observed which may directly contribute to inflammatory processes. However, the specific cellular mechanisms by which phages bind to and are internalized by human cells remain unclear, and this knowledge is crucial for understanding their roles in both health and disease.
The Baldridge Lab studies interactions of the intestinal commensal microbiota with viral (such as murine norovirus) and bacterial pathogens, and the regulation of these interactions by the mucosal innate immune system.
The Global Grants for Gut Health, supported by Yakult and Nature Portfolio, is a competitive program for investigator-initiated research into the human gut microbiota. The program funds one-year proposals for research projects – whether laboratory investigations or clinical studies – that advance understanding of the mechanisms by which gut microbiota have an impact on human health.