Dr. Aline Ignacio

My lab investigates how the gut microbiota shapes the mucosal immune system, with a particular focus on how early-life microbial colonization drives immune development and long-term immune balance. My research centers on how commensal bacteria influence mucosal immune cells and their precursors in the bone marrow, and how these microbe–host interactions affect susceptibility to inflammation and immune-mediated diseases.
A key hypothesis guiding the lab’s work is that microbes modulate the immunometabolism of tissue-resident immune cells and their progenitors, providing a fundamental mechanism for this crosstalk. By defining the microbial signals that shape immune maturation during critical early-life windows, the lab aims to uncover principles that sustain balanced immune function throughout life.