Mediators of regulation and immunity in helminth infections.

Parasitic worms secrete molecules that trick the immune system into tolerating their presence, and researchers want to hijack those same molecules to treat human allergies and autoimmune diseases. The problem is that helminth infections—which affect billions of people globally—are masters of immune suppression. They drive the body to produce regulatory T cells that dampen inflammation, allowing the worms to persist for years. Scientists know this happens, but they do not fully understand the molecular machinery behind it: which secreted worm proteins trigger the effect, whether the regulatory T cells can later switch into attack mode, and how gut bacteria influence the response. This project will identify the specific parasite molecules responsible for immune regulation, using proteomics and candidate gene analysis. The team will then test whether vaccinating animals against those molecules can block the worms’ immunosuppressive tactics. Separately, they will apply the same molecules in mouse models of airway allergy and other inflammatory diseases to see if they work as generic anti-inflammatory drugs. If successful, the work could open a new class of therapies derived from parasite secretions—turning a pathogen’s evasion strategy into a treatment for asthma, colitis, or rheumatoid arthritis. The research is fundamental immunology, but with a clear translational path.