Abstract:

Most of the available therapies to treat inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), a condition that affects more than 3 million people in Europe, target inflammatory processes. However, about 50% of patients do not respond, and those who do respond might develop resistance. Due to the urgent need to identify novel therapeutic strategies for treating IBD, our research program focuses on addressing the lack of mechanistic insights into how and why inflammation is initiated and how inflammation resolves over time. Thus, I will discuss our efforts to gain insights into the mechanisms underlying the initiation and resolution of IBD.

Bio:

Dr. Villablanca, initially a developmental biologist specializing in cell migration using zebrafish, transitioned to immunology during his doctoral studies in Milan. Focused on intestinal leukocyte trafficking, he trained at Harvard Medical School (HMS) as Mucosal Immunologist under the supervision of Dr. Rodrigo Mora. Later became an Instructor in Medicine (HMS) in Ramnik Xavier’s lab where he investigated Inflammatory Bowel Disease risk genes. In 2014, he established his own laboratory at Karolinska Institute, Sweden, blending systems immunology, developmental biology, and mucosal immunology. His research centers on understanding mechanisms maintaining intestinal homeostasis and the implications of their failure in disease.

Visit the Villablanca lab webpage [https://villablancalab.com/] or watch the research video summary [https://youtu.be/eBeMm1zHnVM]. Follow him on Twitter: @ejvillablanca.