A K-State doctoral researcher is discovering how the nervous system defends itself against life-threatening infections.
What if the key to fighting dangerous infections is already inside us?
As antibiotic-resistant bacterial pneumonia rates rise, K-State’s Prabhu Joshi is nearing a life-saving solution.
Joshi’s research centers on his fascination of how different biological systems communicate to protect the human body. He found that communication between the nervous and immune systems influences the body’s ability to fight life-threatening diseases like antibiotic-resistant pneumonia and sepsis.
With further research, Joshi hopes to uncover new therapeutic strategies to replace conventional antibiotics when their defenses fail. He has discovered the connection between neural pathways and worsening or improved protection from bacteria. This discovery highlights the importance of the nervous system in regulating the host’s defense against infection.
“I hope these findings will help advance a new generation of therapies that work alongside antibiotics by strengthening the body’s natural immune responses, ultimately improving outcomes for patients with severe lung infections and sepsis,” Joshi said.
To lay the foundation of his future research, Joshi will use his award from the Alvin and RosaLee Sarachek Predoctoral Honors Fellowship.
The fellowship will support preliminary data collection as Joshi continues exploring the intersection of immunology, microbiology and neuroscience.
By Kate Ellwood