Dragos D
- Research Program Mentor
PhD at Cornell University
Expertise
Biology, Immunology, Cancer Biology
Bio
The immune system is a highly complex and dynamic system that can directly impact the health of every organ and tissue in our body. For the past 11 years I have been working to try to better understand some of this elegant system's inner workings and its important roles in autoimmune diseases, viral infections and cancer. Besides biology I am pretty much curious about everything in the world from physics and chemistry to history, philosophy and foreign policy. Trying to learn why the world is the way it is, is what I find fascinating and highly rewarding. Mentoring and teaching for me is like a puzzle, trying to find the best way I can help someone else on their own quest to learn. In the process I get to more deeply understand the topics I teach, as well as hopefully help someone else in their goal to satisfy their curiosity about the world.Project ideas
Elucidating the mechanisms that promote or limit the survival of antibody producing cells
Antibody producing cells also known as plasma cells are an important component in the immune system's ability to fight and remember infections. Too little antibody production leaves us vulnerable to clearing ongoing infections or remembering pathogens encountered in the past. Too much antibody production can in turn lead to autoimmunity and tissue damage. The immune system has complex exquisite mechanisms in place to tweak and balance the survival of plasma cells and their ability to produce antibodies. Fully understanding these mechanisms can enable us to better fight infections with better responses to vaccines, as well as treat autoimmune diseases like lupus or arthritis.