“The consequences of SARS-CoV-2 neuroinvasion”
Eric Song, MD
Yale University, Dept Immunobiology (Iwasaki lab, HHMI)
and Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology

COVID-19 has affected millions of individuals world-wide, yet, the full-effects of SARS-CoV-2—the virus that causes the disease—is still unknown. One challenge rises from the virus's multi-organ tropism through a commonly expressed receptor, ACE2, which can cause a wide variety of symptoms in parallel. Among them are neurological symptoms, which range from a loss of smell to encephalitic manifestations. To better characterize the origin of these symptoms, we set out to understand the neuroinvasive potential and the neuroinflammatory consequence of SARS-CoV-2. We utilize a combination of COVID-19 patient samples, human brain organoids and a mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 to not only provide evidence of neuroinvasion of the virus, but also possible effects that it might have in causing disease in patients. Finally, by using COVID-19 neuroinflammation as a model system, we establish a new idea in central nervous system immunity; that a compartment-specific, localized immunity—divergent from the periphery— can be present in the brain.

Wednesday, October 7, 2020 at 11:30
FREE and open to the public

Email Conte@Harvard.edu for zoom information