Utilizing Gnotobiotic Mice to Understand the Role of the Microbiome in Murine Disease Models

Webinar Description:

The environmentally exposed surfaces of mammals, such as the skin, mouth, gut, and vagina, are colonized by a diverse ecosystem of microbes. Though many of these bacteria - particularly those of the distal gut - are considered symbiotic, the microbiome has the capacity to induce both pro- and anti- inflammatory responses. Accumulating evidence suggests that a properly balanced gut microbiome is crucial for a correctly functioning immune system, and that imbalances in the microbial community of the intestine are linked to a multitude of auto-inflammatory and auto-immune diseases. This symposium will discuss the roles of the microbiome in murine models of various inflammatory disease states, and the advantages to utilizing germ-free/gnotobiotic mice when probing disease models with a microbiome component.

Learning Objectives:

• Introduce to the roles of the microbiome in murine models of human disease
• Describe the terminology used when discussing gnotobiotic studies
• Discuss the advantages to utilizing germ-free/gnotobiotic mice when probing disease models with microbiome components

Speaker:

Caitlin SL Parello, PhD

Associate Scientist

Biomodels, LLC

Dr. Parello joined Biomodels in 2016 as an Associate Scientist after completing her post-doctoral studies in the Department of Pathology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Her post-doctoral work focused on identifying myelin protein-derived peptides to which human or murine HLA-DR15.01 or HLA-DR04.01 restricted T cells are reactive, with the downstream goal of developing a clinically relevant, humanized murine model of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE) as a model for Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Dr. Parello received her PhD from Boston University School of Medicine in 2014, where she adapted two murine models of Shiga Toxin 2- induced kidney injury, and was an NIH- funded pre-doctoral fellow and Russek award winner. Her current research interests combine her background in adaptive immunity and murine model development, and are largely related to translational microbiome research. These interests include the interaction of the microbiome and immune system, the potential dysbiosis mediating inflammatory/autoimmune disorders, determining if restoration of eubiosis can be therapeutic for such disorders, and the development of clinically relevant animal models with which to probe these exciting questions. At Biomodels, Dr. Parello has established the Germ-Free/Gnotobiotic murine isolator facility, and serves as the lead scientist on microbiome- related studies.

Jennifer M. Phelan

Product Manager

Taconic Biosciences

Jennifer Phelan has worked at Taconic since 1995 in a variety of roles supporting and assisting customers. She has worked in Product Management for the past 15 years managing a variety of animal models and services, including the germ free model portfolio. Her expertise is in animal models, breeding and husbandry and their research applications. Jennifer is currently serving as Secretary of the Board on the newly formed National Gnotobiotic Association, which was formed to advance knowledge of gnotobiotic techniques, communicate information and best practices for working with gnotobiotic mice and connect users for sharing information.

Cost: No cost!

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