Metabolic regulation of inflammation; how energy controls immunity (BERAZA_F17DTP2)

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Inflammation is the hallmark of chronic liver disease and mediates the transition between health and disease. The regulation of immune cell activation, including macrophages, is far more complex than initially described as there are increasing evidences of the role of metabolism in regulating immune cell function. In this line, recent work has shown that specific stimuli promote the metabolic reprogramming of macrophages, leading to changes on the proliferative and pro-inflammatory phenotype of these cells. The aim of this work is to investigate the mechanisms underlying metabolic reprogramming of immune cells and how the regulation of specific metabolic pathways, including autophagy, regulate the immune response. To define this is essential to develop anti-inflammatory strategies based on the regulation of metabolism to preserve health. Our work is of special relevance as we will investigate these in the context of the gut/liver axis and how metabolic regulation in either organ may impact on the function of this axis, providing a mechanistic view of this crosstalk.This collaborative and multidisciplinary study will allow the PhD candidate to develop both in vitro and in vivo work and to learn a variety of transferrable skills including basic molecular biology methodologies such as qPCR and Western blot analysis, histomorphological and immunohistochemical analysis and assessment of the immune response as well as cutting edge technologies as in vivo imaging and Seahorse analysis. This will enrich the student's professional curricula to enable a successful progression of her/his carer in the following stages.