Immune regulation of the secreted matrix barrier: Defining the control and function of goblet cells and mucins following helminth infection

Mucus is an essential protective hydrogel that overlays the body’s mucosal surfaces, composed of gel-forming mucins and various other associated proteins.

When its quantity and quality are dysregulated, it renders a host susceptible to infection and complex disease, including inflammatory bowel disease and cystic fibrosis. Goblet cells of the intestine are tightly regulated by the immune system, which also regulates mucus production. Recent studies have suggested novel subsets of goblet cells and functions of mucins.

I will investigate goblet cell diversity and the role of subpopulations on differential mucus production during infection, using a combination of staining and visualisation techniques.

Using murine helminth infection models, I aim to elucidate which immune cells coordinate to alter goblet cell activity and the consequential effects of altered mucin production on infection.

These studies will help redefine the regulation and function of goblet cells, which have previously been treated as a homogeneous cell type, which will aid in understanding the dysregulation events which lead to disease.