A Montana State University graduate student who wants to reduce the number of people dying from lung infections has discovered a molecule that's critical for immunity. Alayna Caffrey, a doctoral student in MSU's Department of Microbiology and Immunology, published her findings Jan. 28 in the online issue of PLoS Pathogens. On Jan. 17, she presented her research at the Gordon Research Seminar on Immunology of Fungal Infections in Galveston, Texas, and won first place for her presentation.
"This is a tremendous honor for her work, especially this early in her PhD studies," MSU immunologist Josh Obar says of both forums.
Caffrey researches the early immune response against Aspergillus fumigatus, a common mold that can be found in soil or compost piles. The mold causes severe lung infections in people with weakened immune systems, perhaps compromised by leukemia, chemotherapy or organ transplants.
The death rate from Aspergillus fumigatus ranges from 30 to 90 percent, depending on the population, Caffrey says.
To help lower that percentage and understand what goes wrong in weakened immune systems, Caffrey looked at healthy immune systems to see how they respond to Aspergillus fumigatus. She discovered that a molecule called IL-la is critical for recruiting white blood cells to an infection site.
"If you don't have proper cell recruitment, mold is able to invade lung tissue and grow," Caffrey says.
MSU co-authors on the paper in PLoS Pathogens were Margaret Lehmann, Julianne Zickovich, Christopher Watschke, Kimberly Hilmer and Obar. Co-authors from elsewhere were Vanessa Espinosa and Amariliz Rivera from the Center for Immunity and Inflammation at Rutgers University; Kelly Shepardson, Arsa Thammahong and former MSU researcher Robert Cramer from the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College; and Bridget Barker from TGen North in Flagstaff, Ariz.
Caffrey continues to investigate the molecule IL-1a. She is also co-author on another paper recently published in PLoS Pathogens where the investigators focused on other molecules involved in the immune process to Aspergillus fumigatus.
Source: Montana State University
Dear Helpdesk: Working in a Toxic Health Care Environment
March 28th 2024Dear Helpdesk is your steadfast companion, offering life coaching and workplace advice from 2 seasoned IPs for some of your most challenging real-life situations. Let us help you navigate the intersection between work and life, guiding you to navigate the dynamic world of infection prevention with confidence and grace. This article is on handling a toxic health care environment.
Product Locator: Spring and Early Mother's Day Gift Guide for Infection Prevention Personnel
March 27th 2024Whether it's a spring holiday, birthdays, or no reason at all, infection prevention personnel love to give and receive gifts that help at the end of a stressful day. Infection Control Today® offers some gift ideas for infection prevention personnel and their families.
Catching Up With Vangie Dennis, AORN 2022-2023 President at AORN 2024
March 26th 2024Infection Control Today (ICT) had the privilege of catching up with Vangie Dennis, MSN, RN, CNOR, CMLSO, at the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses' (AORN’s) International Surgical Conference & Expo 2024. As the former president of AORN and an esteemed figure in perioperative services, Vangie Dennis shared insights into her recent endeavors and the exciting new chapter she's embarked upon.
How To Optimize Your Time Management Strategies for the Busy Infection Preventionist
March 25th 2024Is your calendar resembling a chaotic masterpiece of overlapping tasks? Join the club of infection preventionists striving to balance responsibilities. Dive into proven strategies from a fellow infection preventionist to reclaim control of your time, streamline tasks, and boost productivity effectively. This is an IP Lifeline article.