The immune and nervous systems are deeply interconnected, constantly exchanging information to keep the body balanced and responsive to threats. Both systems also show differences between males and females, yet how these differences are linked has remained poorly understood. Dr. Konrad Knopper has uncovered a novel pathway in which sensory neurons known as nociceptors communicate with immune cells to shape immune activity in the skin—and intriguingly, this interaction occurs only in females. His discovery reveals a previously unrecognized neuro-immune circuit that may help explain sex-based differences in immune responses and disease susceptibility.
Dr. Knopper’s project aims to uncover the molecular and cellular mechanisms that enable this neuron–immune cell communication. Using advanced genetic, imaging, and CRISPR-based tools in mouse models, he will study how nociceptor neurons signal to macrophages, which then activate dendritic cells—key immune sentinels that alert and coordinate other immune cells—to migrate and initiate protective responses. By mapping this cascade, his work will clarify how nervous system signals influence immunity and identify potential targets to modulate this circuit in diseases such as cancer, chronic inflammation, or autoimmune disorders.
Dr. Knopper is an immunologist with broad expertise in cellular immunology, microscopy, and computational biology. His research bridges fundamental immunology and neuroscience, revealing how communication between the nervous and immune systems shapes immune defense. Building on his discovery of a sex-specific neuro-immune pathway, he seeks to uncover principles that could guide the development of more precise and personalized immune-based therapies.
Sponsor
Jason Cyster, PhD
Projects and Grants
A nociceptor neuron-macrophage-DC axis drives sexual dimorphic skin immunity
