Dr. Melania Capasso

The immune system plays a pivotal role in homeostasis and its alterations influence the incidence and severity of neurodegenerative diseases; however, we are only beginning to understand the full scale of this effect. We know that immune cells change during ageing, however, we still do not know how these changes predispose us or protect us from neurodegeneration.
Our lab aims to understand how immune cells change with age and how this affects neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. As we discover new pathways and molecules important for immune regulation in ageing, we strive to identify new potential therapeutic targets. Specifically, we are interested in understanding the function of the voltage-gated proton channel HVCN1 in immune responses, as well as signalling pathways that regulate inflammation in microglia.