Fabienne Gally, Ph.D.

Cigarette smoke is known to impair the immune system, reducing the body's defense against bacterial infections. A novel protein known as the Fatty Acid Binding Protein 5 (FABP5), has been identified as having a central role in modulating natural immunity. The concentration of this protein is reduced by cigarette smoke exposure. The researchers will examine the potential involvement of FABP5 in the reduction of lung immune re-sponse resulting from cigarette smoke exposure in white blood cells called monocytes. Dr. Gally and team expect that the addition of FABP5 will protect monocytes against bacterial infection when exposed to cigarette smoke.