Research Lab of Dimitry Krementsov, Ph.D.
Overview
Areas of interest: Autoimmunity, sex differences, neuroimmunology, multiple sclerosis, microbiome, gene-by-environment interactions.
The primary interest in my laboratory is understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the etiology and pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, with a particular emphasis on multiple sclerosis (MS), the most common neurologic disorder affecting young adults. This devastating neuroinflammatory disease occurs when the immune system aberrantly initiates an attack against the central nervous system.
MS is a complex and multifactorial disease, impacted by both genetics and environmental factors, which occurs three times as often in women than in men. Our focus is on understanding how these three key variables: genes, environment, and sex, affect MS susceptibility and pathogenesis.
We study well-established risk factors, such as vitamin D and gammaherpes virus infection, as well as novel ones, such as the gut microbiome. To achieve these goals, we employ the animal model of MS, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, together with various genetics, immunology, microbiology, and cellular/molecular biology approaches.
Our research is supported by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Krementsov Lab website