Jared Godfrey awarded NIH Kirschstein fellowship
MGI graduate student Jared Godfrey was recently awarded a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award for Individual Predoctoral Fellows (F31) from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, or NHLBI, providing funding to support the remainder of his graduate training in the Department of Microbiology, Genetics, & Immunology at Michigan State University.
Godfrey conducts his research in the laboratory of MGI Associate Professor Andrew Olive, where his work focuses on understanding how the immune system balances protection and inflammation in the lungs. Proper regulation of immune responses in lung tissue is critical for controlling infections while preventing harmful outcomes such as tissue damage, allergic disease, and autoimmunity.
His project, titled “Dissecting lung alveolar macrophage interactions with T cells,” examines how lung-resident immune cells known as alveolar macrophages interact with T cells to regulate inflammation. In particular, his work explores how the costimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86, which are expressed on antigen-presenting cells, help fine-tune T cell activation and inhibition in the lung.
By dissecting the mechanisms that control these cellular interactions, Godfrey’s research aims to inform future strategies for developing immunotherapies that modulate respiratory immune responses and promote lung health.
"Jared is an outstanding scientist who is combining his expertise in microbiology and immunology to better understand key pathways regulating pulmonary inflammation,” said Olive. “His project has the potential to provide a foundational understanding of cellular signaling and metabolism, shedding light on important diseases including acute lung injury and infection. Jared is the perfect candidate for this fellowship as he is rising star in the field, and this support from NHLBI will provide him the opportunity to make a long-lasting impact on our understanding of immune cells in the lungs in both health and disease. "
The NHLBI award will provide sustained support for Godfrey’s research and training over the next three years, enabling him to fully pursue his dissertation work.
"I'm incredibly grateful to receive this fellowship which acknowledges the progress I've made on my research and my future research plans,” said Godfrey. “This award will enable me to continue my research into mechanisms regulating lung inflammation and further develop my skills as an independent researcher."
