Title: Cracking the cell death code

Abstract:

Cell death is an invariant feature throughout our lifespan, starting with extensive scheduled cell death during morphogenesis and continuing under homeostasis in adult tissues. Additionally, cells become victims of accidental, unscheduled death following injury and infection. Cell death in each of these occasions triggers specific and specialized responses in the living cells that surround them or are attracted to the dying/dead cells. These responses sculpt tissues during morphogenesis, replenish lost cells in homeostasis to maintain tissue/system function, and repair damaged tissues after injury. Wherein lies the information that sets in motion the cascade of effector responses to cell death? I will present a framework for thinking about cell death in terms of the specific effector responses that accompanies various cell death modalities. I will propose a three-fold “cell death code” consisting of information intrinsic to the dying/dead cell, their surroundings and the identity of the responder.

About the speaker:

Prof. Carla Rothlin is currently the Dorys McConnell Duberg Professor of Immunobiology and Professor of Pharmacology, and Co-Leader, Cancer Immunology, Yale Cancer Center. She is the recipient of many prestigious awards including the senior research award from the Crohn’s and Colitis foundation of America, the early excellence award from the American Asthma Foundation and the HHMI faculty scholar from the Howards Hughes Medical Institute.