Edana Cassol

Biography

Edana Cassol Assistant Professor Degrees: Ph.D (Italy/UK) Phone: 613-520-2600 x 4462

Research Interest

My research program seeks to develop a comprehensive and quantitative understanding of the interactions between immune responses, cellular and systemic metabolic processes, and commensal bacteria. This program, which is a direct extension of my interests in innate immunity, metabolism, and the gastrointestinal tract, uses an integrated immunological and systems biology approach (e.g., metabolomics and transcriptomics) to investigate: 1) how innate immune responses are regulated by metabolic programming, 2) how dysfunctional innate immune responses and chronic inflammation promote metabolic abnormalities and increase susceptibility to infectious and non-infectious diseases, and 3) how commensal bacteria and their metabolic products contribute to the function and dysfunction of innate immune responses. My current research focusses on understanding the role of persistent inflammation and chronic innate immune activation in the development of co-morbid conditions in high risk and under-represented populations such as HIV-infected individuals, illicit drug users and aging populations. This work is performed in collaboration with clinicians and scientists both nationally and internationally.