Margaret Scull

Understanding the Mucus Barrier Against Respiratory Virus Infection

Abstract

Through the simple act of breathing, our airways are exposed to a variety of allergens, environmental toxins, and potential pathogens, including viruses. To clear inhaled material and mitigate infection, the airway epithelium has evolved a two-layer mucus barrier. The importance of having a functional mucus barrier is evident in individuals with chronic lung disease where this barrier is often altered, contributing to enhanced susceptibility and worse outcomes following viral infection. Still, many questions remain about how the mucus barrier prevents viruses from reaching underlying epithelial cells. Further, the mucus barrier is composed of very large proteins termed mucins, and how individual mucins contribute to barrier function is not clear. With a focus on influenza virus, and using model systems that precisely mimic the form and function of the mucus barrier and human airway epithelium, I will discuss our advances in answering these questions, revealing new insights into why some individuals are more susceptible than others to respiratory virus infections and why some viruses are more likely to establish an infection.

About the Speaker

Dr. Margaret Scull is an Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland in the Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics. She obtained her Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and subsequently completed her postdoctoral training with Dr. Charles Rice at The Rockefeller University. During her postdoc, she received a National Institutes of Health Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award and was later named as a Parker B. Francis Fellow in Pulmonary and Respiratory Disease. Her research program at UMD aims to understand how respiratory viruses infect the airway epithelium. Specifically, her laboratory focuses on influenza and human rhinoviruses – a group of pathogens that have a significant impact on public health and global economy. Her work has yielded technical advancements in both in vitro and in vivo model systems and conceptual advances in airway biology, antiviral defense, and mechanisms of viral replication.