We are a team of scientists working to better understand immunity at our mucosal surfaces.

The Langel Research Team is located in the Center for Global Health and Diseases and Department of Pathology at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio.

Human-milk transfer of maternal immunity from Langel et al., Cell Host & Microbe 2022. Immunomodulatory breast-milk components including secretory IgA and IgG passively transfer into milk to protect and regulate the infant intestinal tract.

 

The Langel Research Team uses multi-disciplinary approaches to study mucosal immune responses against viral infections.

We study mucosal immune responses that relate to women’s health, with a particular emphasis on how antibodies function at barrier surfaces. Specifically, we investigate antibody transfer from mothers to infants, focusing on the unique protection conferred through breast milk. We also examine how antibodies interact with bacteria in the female reproductive tract, as these interactions play a key role in maintaining health and preventing disease.

Across all of this work, we are especially interested in IgA, how it functions in the body and at mucosal surfaces, and how antibody-producing plasma cells regulate these processes. By studying these mechanisms, our goal is to define correlates of mucosal immune protection against viral diseases.

Langel Research Team News