We investigate the impact of air pollutants (e.g. diesel exhaust, ozone, tobacco smoke) on the innate respiratory immune response, including respiratory epithelial cells and natural killer cells, the interplay between respiratory epithelial cells and innate immune cells and the impact of air pollution exposure on the innate immune response to viral infections (e.g. rhinovirus influenza). 

• Cultivation of primary nasal epithelial cells at the air-liquid interface

• Enrichment of Natural killer cells 

• Flow cytometry (surface and intracellular)

• RT-PCR

• ELISAs, Luminex

• Virus infections (rhinovirus lab strains RV1B & RV-16, RSV A2, Influenza Virus A/Aichi/2/68)

• Virus titrations

• NK cell cytotoxicity assay

• Cell lines: 16HBE14o-, MDCK, HeLa Ohio, Hep2

• Virus: RV-1B, RV-16, RSV A2, Influenza Virus A/Aichi/2/68