Lung Immunology and Infection – LII

Topics

• In vitro and animal studies of host innate response (cytokine, alarmin, mucin) responses to viral infection and impacts on lung remodeling.
• Effect of viral infections on regulation of mucins, cellular plasticity/transition, or goblet cell metaplasia.
• Effects of bacterial infections on pulmonary immunity, remodeling and/or susceptibility to subsequent infections.
• Analysis of the content and changes in microbiome communities/homeostasis (such as but not limited to gut or lung) on innate or pulmonary immune responses.
• Fungal-host interactions, mechanisms of control of fungal infections or determinants of fungal invasiveness.

Shared Interests and Overlaps

There are shared interests with Pulmonary Injury Remodeling and Repair (PIRR). Environmental, idiopathic, and non-infectious fibrosis in the lung may be reviewed in PIRR, whereas applications focused on pathogen-induced fibrotic response and lung injury and remodeling may be reviewed in LII. 

There are shared interests with Translational Investigations of Pulmonary and Immunological Diseases (RCCS (81)) regarding pulmonary diseases. While LII may review basic and physiological topics related to aspects of lung immunology and infection, those which propose clinical trials may be reviewed in RCCS (81). 

There are shared interests with Pulmonary Vascular Disease and Physiology (PVP). Applications focused on pulmonary vascular disorders may be reviewed in PVP, whereas applications focused on host inflammatory responses associated with lung function may be reviewed in LII.

There are shared interests with Immunity and Host Defense (IHD). While both study sections review applications focused on innate and adaptive immune responses to a wide variety of pathogens, LII reviews applications that involve the pathological and functional consequences of pulmonary immune responses to infection, while IHD review applications more focused on studying immune host defense responses against pulmonary infections.

There are shared interests with Molecular and Structural Immunology (MSI). Applications focused on the structural, biochemical and/or biophysical aspects of the immune response irrespective of the tissue site may be reviewed in MSI. Applications focused on the protective immune response that leads to pathology is localized to the lung in LII.

There are shared interests with Adaptive Immunity (AI), Innate Immunity A (IIDA (81)), and Innate Immunity B (IIB). Applications with a greater focus on fundamental aspects of the adaptive immune response or innate immune response may be reviewed in AI or IIDA (81)/IIB, respectively. Applications addressing impacts of the adaptive immune system on the function and pathology of the lung or lung disease may be reviewed in LII.

There are shared interests with Mechanisms of Autoimmunity (MAI). Applications focused on lung complications associated with an autoimmune or rheumatic disease may be reviewed in MAI, whereas applications focused on the immunological response to pathogen invasion in the lung may be reviewed in LII.

There are shared interests with Immune Mechanisms of Hypersensitivity and Allergy (IMHA) in immune responses in the lung. Applications focused on immune mechanisms and/or responses, either innate or adaptive, in the context of upper and lower respiratory tract-related hypersensitivities and allergic diseases (e.g., allergic asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis) may be reviewed in IMHA, whereas viral induced hypersensitivity responses and ABPA may be reviewed in LII. In addition, applications focused on the microbiome which reside/originate within, or otherwise impact, the lung may be reviewed in LII, but those that investigate the role of the lung resident microbiome in the modulation of hypersensitivities and allergies localized to this organ will be reviewed in IMHA.

There are shared interests with Molecular and Cellular Biology of Virus Infection (MCV), Viral Pathogenesis and Immunity (VPI), and Viral Dynamics and Transmission (VDT). Applications focused on molecular mechanistic models of virus infection or pathogenesis and immunity emphasizing the virological perspective may be reviewed in MCV, VPI, or VDT. Applications addressing virus-host immune or inflammatory interactions in the lung may be reviewed in LII.

There are shared interests with Bacterial Virulence (BV) and Bacterial-Host Interactions (BHI). Applications focused on molecular mechanistic models of bacterial infection or pathogenesis and immunity emphasizing the bacterial perspective may be reviewed in BV or BHI. Applications addressing bacterial-host immune or inflammatory interactions in the lung may be reviewed in LII.