DrMicka.com

My current research is in the laboratory of Dr. John Atkinson at Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Atkinson is a Professor of Rheumatology at Washington University and a world expert in complement, a group of proteins that are a very important component of the immune system. These proteins are part of the innate immune system and play a very important role in fighting infections, particularly early on. They also have a role in modulating the immune response.

We are investigating a particular cell called a regulatory T cell (Treg) whose development can be influenced by the binding of complement to the cellular surface molecule CD46. Particularly we are looking at the role complement induced regulatory T cells have  in viral infections in the lung and the development of asthma. It is believed that regulatory T cells are important in controlling inflammation in the lung as well as other parts of the body. Our hope is that better understanding how these cells work will allow the development of better treatments for allergic diseases such as asthma and viral infections in the lung.