Organ-specific lymphatic endothelial heterogeneity in tissue homeostasis and allergic inflammation

Lymphatic vessels in the lungs and skin release organ-specific molecules that directly control how immune T cells behave, and researchers will now map these signals in health and during allergic inflammation. This matters because current treatments for allergies—such as asthma and eczema—target the immune system broadly, often with side effects or incomplete relief. The lymphatic endothelium, long seen as passive drainage pipes, is now known to actively secrete molecules that vary from organ to organ. Yet no one has systematically identified which molecules each organ’s lymphatic vessels produce, or how those molecules influence T cell activation during allergic attacks. The researcher will isolate human lymphatic endothelial cells from different organs, identify their unique molecular signatures, and test their effects on T cells using a “lymphatic-on-a-chip” device. In mice, she will delete these molecules and track T cell responses with 3D mapping and single-cell transcriptomics, repeating the experiments during allergic inflammation of the lungs and skin. If successful, this work could reveal organ-specific molecular targets for treating allergic inflammation—for example, a drug that blocks a lung-specific lymphatic signal without affecting skin lymphatics. The project is fundamental science, but understanding how lymphatic vessels actively shape immune responses could eventually lead to precision therapies for asthma, eczema, and other allergic diseases.