Nandhini Sundar L&S Biological Sciences
Investigating CK2 in Alveolar Interferon Regulation
Interferons (IFNs) are signaling molecules that help the immune system detect and destroy cancer cells and viruses. Because of this, IFN pathways are often targeted as treatments for lung cancer and infection. However, increasing IFN activity can also reduce growth of alveolar type II (AT2) cells, which are essential for gas exchange and regenerating lung tissue after injury. Previous work in my lab found that knocking out a protein called Casein Kinase 2 (CK2) using CRISPR-Cas9 in an organoid model increased interferon signaling without harming AT2 cell growth. However, Cas9 can unintentionally trigger interferon signaling and immune activation when breaking double-stranded DNA, making it unclear whether CK2 was truly responsible for the effect. My project will test this question using CK2 molecular inhibitors in precision-cut lung slices, a model that preserves the structure and cell diversity of lung tissue. I will measure whether blocking CK2 can boost interferon responses while maintaining AT2 proliferation and lung repair, potentially enabling anti-cancer immunotherapies that preserve native lung function.
Message To Sponsor
Thank you so much to my donor for sponsoring this enriching experience. This funding will allow me to further explore my passion for science intensively this summer and meaningfully contribute to the scientific community. I am truly grateful for your generosity and support.