Innate Immunology

Research Interests: Research in my lab focuses on how the immune system responds to environmental exposures—air pollution (including wildfire smoke), allergens, respiratory viruses and stress — and how these interactions contribute to chronic airway diseases like asthma and COPD. We are particularly interested in innate lymphoid cells, epithelial collectins (surfactant proteins A and D), and the molecular mechanisms that regulate airway inflammation. We use animal models, human studies, and cutting-edge cellular-molecular approaches to find new therapeutic targets and improve respiratory health. My students are exposed to interdisciplinary research, spanning immunology, lung physiology, environmental health, and translational medicine.

Research Interests: Dr. Ji’s research group is focused on elucidating the epigenetic regulation of chronic diseases such as childhood asthma and examining how epigenetic mechanisms mediate the impact of environmental exposures during critical developmental windows (e.g., infancy) on increased disease susceptibility.

Research Interests: Our lab is studying the consequences of evolutionary arms races between viruses and their hosts. We are especially interested in how the interaction between viruses, and the innate immune system of their hosts influences the host range and virulence of viruses.

Research Interests: Focusing on how bidirectional communication between the nervous and immune system alters immune outcomes in gut and lung.

Research Interests: Wound healing, CNS inflammation

Research Interests: Evaluating the immune response in children with autism and to examine the interface between the immune system and the central nervous system.

Research Interests: Research in immunogenetics, molecular genetics, functional genomics, and bioinformatics in poultry. My group is focused on elucidating the molecular and cellular mechanisms of host-pathogen interaction including disease resistance, immune response, and pathogenesis of infection.