Past Webinar: Regulation of CNS Inflammation by Astrocytes

Regulation of CNS Inflammation by Astrocytes

2:00 PM–3:00 PM ET, October 30, 2024

Astrocytes are crucial regulators of CNS inflammation, capable of both promoting and resolving inflammatory responses. Upon injury or disease, they become reactive and can release pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and reactive oxygen species, driving neuroinflammation. However, they also have protective roles, such as secreting anti-inflammatory factors like IL-10 and TGF-β, maintaining the blood-brain barrier, and preventing excitotoxicity. Their dual role in both exacerbating and mitigating inflammation makes them vital targets for therapeutic strategies aimed at treating neuroinflammatory disorders.

Creative Biolabs has invited Dr. Francisco J. Quintana to walk us through how astrocytes regulate CNS inflammation.

During this webinar, we will discuss the following key points:

• Introduction of astrocytes
• Astrocyte functions in homeostasis
• Astrocyte functions in disease
• Novel methods to study astrocytes
• Regulation of astrocyte responses by cell-cell interactions
• Long-term epigenetic control of astrocyte responses
• Future directions in astrocyte research

Webinar Recording

Speaker

Francisco J. Quintana, PhD
Professor of Neurology
Kuchroo Weiner Distinguished Professor of Neuroimmunology
Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Harvard Medical School
Associate Member,
The Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT

Francisco J. Quintana, PhD, is a Professor of Neurology at the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and an Associate Member at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT. He serves as the President of the International Society of Neuroimmunology (ISNI).

His research focuses on neuroimmunology, particularly the signaling pathways that regulate inflammation and neurodegeneration, aiming to discover new therapeutic targets and biomarkers for related disorders. He has authored over 200 peer-reviewed articles and has identified significant roles for the transcription factor AHR in inflammation control. His work has also explored how various factors influence central nervous system resident cells in health and disease, leading to multiple patents and the foundation of four companies.

Dr. Quintana has received numerous awards, including the Lady Anne Chain Prize and the Kuchroo Weiner Distinguished Professor of Neuroimmunology title in 2021.