Dynamics and heterogeneity of inflammatory signalling in single cells
Single cell biology approach for immune cell signalling: Biological signalling systems are inherently complex and their regulation needs to be understood at all levels. One example is the failure to resolve inflammation in single cells, which is associated with out-of-control tissue-level responses characteristic in many autoimmune diseases. My previous work has suggested that inflammation may be controlled through subtle changes in single cell dynamics and varying cellular heterogeneity through underlying molecular networks. We use an interdisciplinary systems biology approach to build a quantitative understanding of a set of cellular and molecular cytokine networks that together regulate inflammatory processes. We employ state-of-the-art multi-scale mathematical modelling, live-cell microscopy (including microfluidic tissue models) and quantitative single cell gene expression. These allow studies of emergence and function of spatial and temporal dynamics during inflammation. A more quantitative understanding of these non-linear and non-intuitive processes might lead to improved therapeutic strategies for inflammatory disease.