R. Lai

Physiologic media renders human iPSC-derived macrophages permissive for M. tuberculosis by rewiring organelle function and metabolism

This study shows that using a human plasma-like medium enhances M. tuberculosis replication in iPSC-derived macrophages by altering lipid metabolism and organelle function.

Multivalent DNA-encoded lectins on phage enable detecting compositional glycocalyx differences

This paper develops a phage-based liquid lectin array to detect subtle glycocalyx differences by displaying multivalent lectins on DNA-barcoded M13 phage.

Heterogeneity in lung macrophage control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is determined by T cells

This study shows that T cell responses differentially affect M. tuberculosis control in alveolar macrophages versus monocyte-derived macrophages, influencing infection outcomes.

Host genetic background is a barrier to broadly effective vaccine protection: Relevance to BCG and Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection

This study shows that host genetic background affects BCG vaccine efficacy against tuberculosis, with diverse immune responses in genetically varied mice.

SARS-CoV-2 causes human BBB injury and neuroinflammation indirectly in a linked organ chip platform

This study shows SARS-CoV-2 indirectly causes BBB injury and neuroinflammation through systemic inflammation, not direct viral infection, using a linked alveolus-BBB organ chip platform.

Transferrin receptor is another receptor for SARS-CoV-2 entry

This study identifies the transferrin receptor (TfR) as an additional receptor for SARS-CoV-2 entry, showing that TfR-mediated infection can occur independently of ACE2 and that targeting TfR has anti-viral effects.

Protein Structure Determination via Distance GeometryStructural Similarity based Initialization

This paper introduces a distance geometry method for protein structure determination using structural similarity initialization, achieving high accuracy with limited distance data.

Transferrin-dependent crosstalk between the intestinal tract and commensal microbes contributes for immune tolerance

The paper shows that commensal microbes up-regulate host transferrin to suppress TLR signaling and promote immune tolerance in the gut.

Functionally overlapping variants control TB susceptibility in Collaborative Cross mice

The paper identifies multiple genetic loci associated with tuberculosis susceptibility in Collaborative Cross mice, including a loss-of-function mutation in Itgal that impairs T cell recruitment.

Limited recognition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected macrophages by polyclonal CD4 and CD8 T cells from the lungs of infected mice

The paper assesses T cell recognition of Mtb-infected macrophages in mice and finds that CD4 T cells more effectively recognize these cells than CD8 T cells, with BCG vaccination eliciting such responses.

Iron-deficiency and estrogen are associated with ischemic stroke by up-regulating transferrin to induce hypercoagulability

The paper shows that iron-deficiency and estrogen increase transferrin, leading to hypercoagulability and worsened ischemic stroke.