Dr Juan Quintana from the Lydia Becker Institute has been awarded an 8-year Career Development Award from the Wellcome Trust worth £2.4 million to conduct cutting-edge research on the role B cells play in controlling circadian behavior and sleep during chronic infection, with potential implications for improving sleep quality and immunity during infections. 

Circadian rhythms and sleep are critical processes for maintaining both physical and mental health. However, chronic infections, such as Human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), can significantly disrupt these patterns, potentially impairing the immune response needed to combat infections. Juan and his team discovered that during such infections, a specialised group of immune cells, called B cells, accumulate in brain regions that control sleep. These B cells produce molecules that help limit brain inflammation. Using genetically engineered mice that lack these B cells Juan observed completely disrupted daily activity patterns, highlighting the necessity of B cells in regulating circadian behavior and sleep.

With this new study, funded by the Wellcome Trust, Juan and his team aim to delve deeper into the origins and mechanisms of these B cells during infection. By exploring the intricate interactions between the immune system, the brain, and sleep during chronic infection-induced neuroinflammation, the study seeks to uncover why sleep quality deteriorates during infections and the subsequent impact on immunity. This groundbreaking research could lead to new insights and potential therapies for improving sleep and immune function in individuals suffering from chronic infections. 

Commenting on the award Juan said “I am beyond delighted to continue to receive support from the Wellcome Trust to pursue curiosity-driven research in various aspects of neuroimmunology, while having the intellectual freedom to take my research into new and exciting directions, including autoimmunity and sleep biology. This 8-year award will enable me to build my research team in Manchester, where I plan to bring together neuroscientists and immunologists to work together on novel questions about sleep regulation during brain inflammation. This work will synergise with colleagues at the Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation and also with partners at the Geoffrey Jefferson Brain Research Centre and the NHS. I am really looking forward to developing this research programme in Manchester!”

Related