Ken H. Cadwell, PhD

The Cadwell Lab investigates how the immune system is controlled during infectious and inflammatory diseases. The immune system is tasked with defending against life-threatening infectious agents, but at the same time must avoid unnecessary reactions against beneficial microbes that are part of the microbiome. Such unwanted immune responses are implicated in a variety of chronic diseases including inflammatory bowel disease and cancer. A key research goal is to uncover the cell biological processes that control the immune response when confronted with the diverse infectious agents found in the environment. Ongoing projects include: (1) Identifying gene-microbe interactions that contribute to inflammatory bowel disease, (2) elucidating the role of the cellular process of autophagy in host-pathogen interactions, and (3) examining the viral component of the microbiome, also known as the virome.