We are working to understand fundamentals of the innate and adaptive immune responses to tissue damage and biomaterials in multiple model systems. What immune profile characterizes a healing wound versus fibrosis? How does this profile differ in muscle, cartilage, skin or the cornea? Using a combination of multi-parametric flow cytometry, single cell sequencing methods, and functional outcomes, we are defining these tissue damage-related immune responses that occur locally and systemically. We are further studying the impact of genetic and environmental factors such as aging, gender, and infection in these immune responses and the resulting impact on tissue repair.
