Subash Sad Lab

Our laboratory studies the mechanisms that maintain a healthy immune system and prevent the development of inflammatory diseases. Macrophages are an important type of immune cell that mediates early control of infection, yet overt activation of these cells can lead to chronic inflammation.

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To ensure homeostasis, macrophages are eliminated on a constant basis and new ones are continually being generated, however, the pathway through which a macrophages is eliminated can have a profound impact on inflammatory response and host survival.  Our laboratory studies a recently discovered pathway of inflammatory cell death called “Necroptosis”, which leads to cell and tissue necrosis. We are testing the role of these pathways in various disease states such as sepsis, cystic fibrosis and inflammatory bowel disease.

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We use cell biological and genomic approaches to decipher the mechanisms involved.  We have generated various recombinant pathogens in which genes have been cloned in, or key virulence genes have been deleted. Function of specific genes in cell death is evaluated using knockout mice, or by knocking down specific genes in cells.  Functional assays of cell death, cell cycling, cytokine expression and cytolytic activity are coupled with cell imaging and in vivo readouts.