Samantha Pauls, PhD

College of Pharmacy research theme

• Molecular Biotherapeutics

Keywords

• Immunometabolism
• Fatty acids
• Metabolic disease
• Monocytes
• Macrophages
• Inflammation

Research summary

Inappropriate activation of innate immune cells such as monocytes and macrophages contributes to the development and progression of chronic diseases including obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disease.

Emerging evidence suggests that innate immune cell activation is closely linked to the metabolic state of the cell, that is, the metabolic pathways it uses to break down, produce, and store macronutrients.

The aims of my lab are:

• to characterize the relationships between innate immune cell metabolism and metabolic disease, and
• to explore pharmacological and dietary interventions that could restore health by targeting immune-metabolic pathways.