Areas of Specialty:
- Innate Immunity
- Autoimmunity
- Natural Antibodies
- Ischemia-reperfusion injury
The focus of my laboratory is on the complement system, natural antibodies and other innate immune molecules in autoimmunity. Although beneficial during infections, these molecules can cause excessive tissue damage during trauma, ischemia/reperfusion and autoimmunity. We have examined the damaging aspects of the innate immune response in multiple models of tissue injury with an emphasis on intestinal ischemia/reperfusion. With the development of therapeutic peptides, we are focusing on the role of beta2 glycoprotein I in multiple models of tissue injury.
My laboratory studies the complement system, a first line of defense within the immune system.
The current focus of my laboratory is to understand the function of complement proteins that enhance and inhibit cell killing.
The Fleming lab focuses on the role and interactions of innate immune molecules such as complement, toll like receptors and natural antibodies in multiple forms of tissue injury.
Research: Understanding the inflammatory drama queen
Current studies also will examine differences between males and females.
Area(s) of Specialization:
I studied the effects of alcohol on the innate immune response in mice during a brief, initial post-doc.
We are investigating the initiation, regulation and crosstalk between complement and other inflammatory components which instigate or amplify these diseases. Our research centers on three innate immune mechanisms involved in tissue damage : 1) the interactions of naturally occurring antibodies and complement activation in intestinal damage 2) the interactions of toll-like receptors and complement activation in intestinal damage and 3) the role of complement in multiple other forms of ischemic damage.
Subject area:
- Microbiology and Immunology
Research Focus:
Subject area:
- Biology – Studies complement activation and regulatory proteins and innate immune molecules
Expertise: Studies the role of the innate immune response in tissue damage due to heart attack, surgery and autoimmune disease
Expertise:
- Focus on the complement system and other innate immune molecules
- Determining the damaging aspects of the innate immune response in multiple models of tissue injury
