The role of innate immune responses during S. pyogenes infection

Origin: The Tang Prize is awarded on a biennial basis, each with a cash reward of NT$40 million. Projects proposed by the laureates also receive a grant of up to NT$10 million. The 2016 grant for Biopharmaceutical Science is shared between Dr. Charpentier, Dr. Doudna, and Dr. Feng Zhang.

Project Summary: Studies in mice have revealed that once the bacteria have overcome the body physical barriers, innate immune cells are pivotal in the defense to invasive infection. These cells possess, with various and cell-specific degree of expression, a vast array of germline encoded Pathogen Recognition Receptors (PRR), such as Toll Like Receptors (TLRs), which have been implicated in immune responses to S. pyogenes. Ten human TLRs evolved to recognize specific Pathogen Associated Molecular Patterns (PAMP) shared among different bacterial species, ensuring prompt detection of microbial invaders albeit without the specificity characteristic of the adaptive immune system. However, the exact mechanism by which these heterogeneous signals are integrated into a full-fledged innate immune activation is still unknown. Dr. Charpentier, the 2016 Tang Prize laureate in Biopharmaceutical Science, proposes to address this multifaceted immune activation on several fronts concomitantly, with an approach suitable to develop an immunity-focused line of research within the group, taking advantage of the extraordinary expertise in microbiology available.