Lei Zhou,

Our studies use the fruit fly to unravel the complexity of innate immunity. Our lab has studied the innate immune response against arbovirus infection, which spreads through an intermediate host, such as mosquitos. We revealed an important innate immune response to be rapid apoptosis, a well-contained form of cell death that often requires the expression of pro-apoptotic genes. Genetic research in fruit flies has revealed that a group of pro-apoptotic genes play a pivotal role in regulating apoptosis in insects. Using advanced bioinformatics strategies, we have identified several reaper/grim-like genes in mosquito genomes. These insights may be key to curbing viral infections spread by mosquitoes. Led by serendipitous findings, we are now interested in understanding how innate immunity becomes dysregulated in aging animals and the interaction between innate immunity and cancer.