Animals exposed to pathogens mount defense responses, some of which have been conserved from invertebrates to humans. The Shaham lab has identified in the nematode C. elegans a novel pathogen response whose biochemical components are conserved across species. Intriguingly, part of the response is localized to nervous system glial cells, which mediate animal sensory responses. The Shaham lab’s work will increase understanding of how these glial responses protect animals from pathogens. These studies will help us to better understand how animals mount responses to agents of disease.
Research in Shaham’s lab focuses on two areas: the control of programmed cell death during animal development and the roles of glial cells in nervous system development and function. The lab uses the roundworm C. elegans for both areas of research, and has demonstrated that their underlying cellular programs were maintained through evolution from C. elegans to humans.
