During their early life, immune cells learn to get along with the body’s own cells. In individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) that tolerance breaks down and immune cells selectively destroy insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Dr. Matthias von Herrath discusses the latest insights into why beta cells become the target of a misdirected immune attack.
Ferhat Ay, Ph.D., is building some of the world’s smallest maps. These maps trace the wiring inside a cell’s nucleus to reveal how genes interact and how the body fights disease. Only about 2% of our DNA accounts for genes; the remaining 98% harbor regulatory switches that control when and how active each gene is. Some switches are positioned right next to the gene they control, but some are far apart and brought close together as our DNA folds into a complex 3D shape inside the cell nucleus. Join Ay as he discusses how he uses computational tools to understand how individual variations in the intricate 3D architecture of our genome directly impact how our immune system fights disease.
