Leif Erik Sander: Ortho- and heterotopic effects of immune responses to acute viral infections (Ad hoc Seminar)

Ortho- and heterotopic effects of immune responses to acute viral infections

Acute viral infections exert immune-mediated effects that extend beyond the direct consequences of viral replication. These include orthotopic effects at the primary site of infection and heterotopic effects in distant organs, both of which can contribute to host defense and tissue regeneration, but also to acute and long-term disease.
Focusing on the lung, I will discuss how dysregulated innate immune responses, particularly within the myeloid compartment, drive tissue injury and remodeling in severe viral disease. Unpublished integrative analyses reveal maladaptive reparative macrophage states and myeloid-driven pathways associated with chronic tissue remodeling and the restoration of homeostasis. The seminar will then explore heterotopic effects of acute infections, including cardiovascular complications, and how systemic immune perturbations may link acute infection to subsequent health outcomes. Finally, I will consider the implications of these findings for vaccination and personalized strategies to prevent acute and chronic complications of common viral infections.