Barrier immune niches during microbial colonization and infection

Wednesday, 24 June 2026, 2pm to 3pm

Barrier tissues are portals to the microbial-dense world. Barriers are defined by heterogeneous epithelial linings and deeper stromal cells. Here, I will discuss two recent efforts from our group that focus on microbial-immune positioning and coordination at the skin and respiratory tract barriers. In the skin, we compared colonization by the fungal pathobionts Candida auris versus C. albicans to illuminate distinct fungal-immune interactions. C. auris exhibited enhanced skin persistence and hair follicle tropism. In the lung, we defined the spatiotemporal stromal-immune response to Influenza A virus infection, focusing on the underappreciated role of fibroblasts and their dynamic states.

Speaker(s): Dr. Ari Molofsky (The University of California, San Francisco)

Venue: Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology - Kennedy Lecture Theatre - Kennedy Lecture Theatre Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology Headington Oxford Oxfordshire OX3 7FY United Kingdom

Department: Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology (Unit)

Organiser: Tess Lawless

Host: Professor Mark Coles