Andrea McAlester Lab

Our research interests focus on defining how dietary fats alter immune function and the resulting impact on disease pathogenesis. Unresolved tissue damage is a hallmark of intestinal diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Macrophage anti-inflammatory and pro-tissue repair functions are essential to the repair of tissue damage, and loss of these functions can result in increased pathology in intestinal diseases such as IBD. High-fat diets (HFD) are associated with increased pathology in many inflammatory diseases, including IBD.

HFDs can exacerbate intestinal pathology and are well known to alter macrophage anti-inflammatory functions. However, the role of HFDs in impairing macrophage tissue repair functions in response to intestinal damage is less understood. We seek to understand the role of HFDs in modulating macrophage tissue repair functions in response to intestinal damage and the resulting impact on the resolution of tissue damage in inflammatory bowel disease and other intestinal diseases.

McAlester Lab
Baylor College of Medicine
Department of Pathology and Immunology
One Baylor Plaza, Debakey M904, Houston, TX 77030

Phone: 713-798-1738
Email: andrea.mcalester@bcm.edu