The Impact of Environmental Factors on Allergic Asthma

Abstract

Record ID: 294

Award(s): Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentorship; Excellence in Research Communication

Program Affiliation: University Honors Program

Presentation Type: Podium

Abstract: The innovation and development of today's society have profoundly impacted our world. Due to the constant changes in our environment, it is difficult to determine how such changes affect our overall health. In no other area of research is this truer than in the field of allergic asthma. Allergic asthma is an inappropriate immune response to environmental stimuli that causes chest   tightness, difficulty breathing, and persistent coughing. For some, these symptoms are minor inconveniences, while for others they can be life-threatening. There is a proven genetic basis to   allergic asthma, however, the rates of disease are increasing too quickly to be driven by genetics alone, suggesting a role for the environment. The Lewkowich laboratory aims to understand how environmental factors impact the immune   responses underlying allergic asthma. Using animal models, as well as studying human disease, we study how the development and severity of allergic asthma are impacted by various   environmental factors. This includes the timing of allergen exposure, parental allergen exposures, and heritability, and our microbiome and how it shapes immune responses to the environment. While we can diagnose and cure many diseases such as cancer, for allergic asthma the current diagnosis of the disease is often inefficient, not definitive, and results in poor treatment options. A better understanding of the environmental impacts on the disease is needed so that new   therapeutics can be created to improve health outcomes for millions of people suffering from allergic asthma.