Adriana Forero, PhD

Research Project:
Epigenetic Control of Antiviral Immunity and Lung Tissue Repair

Grant Awarded:

Emerging Respiratory Pathogen Award

Research Topics:

basic biologic mechanisms
immunology immunotherapy
pathology

Research Diseases:

influenza
pulmonary fibrosis
respiratory viruses

Viral infections cause lung damage and these injuries need to be repaired to prevent scarring that can lead to chronic lung disease. The repair response requires a cell type known as alveolar type II (AT2) to repair lung structures needed for the body’s gas exchange. AT2 cells can also signal to fibroblasts, cells that organize this repair response. AT2 cells are among the first cells to become infected by respiratory viruses like Influenza A Virus. A person’s successful recovery after infection, therefore, requires that these cells survive infection, develop into new cells to restore lung function, and effectively communicate with fibroblasts to coordinate repair responses. This study focuses on evaluating how the protein MeCP2, a gene regulator, controls AT2 cell responses during infection and recovery. A deeper understanding of this process is critical to preventing chronic lung disease following infection and to developing new strategies to protect individuals with known mutations that diminish MeCP2 function.

Page last updated: September 22, 2026

Adriana Forero, PhD

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