Sepsis—a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body’s response to infection causes widespread inflammation—affects more than 1.7 million people in the U.S. each year. Cancer patients are particularly vulnerable, facing higher risks of developing sepsis and dying from its complications. Yet the long-term effects of severe infections like sepsis on tumor growth and immune function remain largely unknown. At the same time, new research suggests that the brain can influence the immune system—and that activating certain brain regions can suppress tumor progression. Dr. Andrea Muñoz Zamora’s research seeks to uncover how the brain stores and reactivates “immune memories” from diseases such as sepsis and cancer, and whether these memories can be harnessed to strengthen the body’s defenses against tumors.
Building on her pioneering work in memory and brain–body communication, Dr. Muñoz Zamora is mapping the neurons that encode immune-related information—what she calls immune engrams. She will determine whether the same brain circuits record immune responses to both infection and cancer, and test whether reactivating these neurons can alter immune cell activity or slow tumor growth. Using state-of-the-art tools such as neuronal labeling and optogenetics, her project aims to uncover how the brain’s “memory” of inflammation might be used to boost immune function and fight disease.
Dr. Muñoz Zamora brings a rare combination of training in psychology, neuroscience, and physiology, along with extensive experience in mapping how memories are formed and influence the body. Her background in both behavioral and cellular neuroscience positions her to bridge the gap between brain research and immunology, uncovering new principles that could guide the development of novel strategies to enhance immune health and cancer therapy.
Sponsor
Michel Enamorado, PhD
Projects and Grants
In search of immune engrams: mapping the brains memory of systemic inflammation
