Katy Bunn, PhD, was a graduate student in the Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology in the Pua Lab at Vanderbilt University Medical Center at the time of this work. Her research focused on understanding how T helper 2 (Th2) cell–derived extracellular vesicles regulate allergic inflammation. Specifically, her work examined how cytokine cargo on the surface of extracellular vesicles, including IL-3, promotes eosinophil survival in both in vitro systems and in vivo mouse models of asthma. Through this research, Dr. Bunn contributed to uncovering new mechanisms of immune cell communication that may help explain persistent inflammation in patients whose asthma is not fully controlled by existing therapies. Heather Pua, MD, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology whose laboratory studies how extracellular vesicles and extracellular RNAs regulate chronic tissue inflammation. Her research focuses on diseases with long-term impact and limited treatment options, such as asthma. By combining mechanistic studies of immune cell–derived extracellular vesicles with translational disease models, Dr. Pua’s work aims to identify alternative inflammatory pathways that may contribute to disease persistence and therapeutic resistance. Her lab’s findings seek to expand current treatment paradigms and improve outcomes for patients with chronic inflammatory diseases.

Hi. My name is Sarah Worthan and I'm a postdoc in Megan Beringer's lab in the Department of Biological Sciences.