Mario Alberto Ynga Durand, M.D., Ph.D.

Research

In the Rothenberg lab, I will explore how immune cell infiltration leads to eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), a chronic condition triggered by an allergic reaction to foods. EoE leads to severe inflammation of the esophagus, a reaction that can make swallowing difficult, cause choking, and—in children—leads to malnutrition. Dr. Rothenberg’s group has discovered that EoE is genetically linked to thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), an inflammatory molecule induced in response to allergens. Now, using sophisticated techniques in molecular genetics and single-cell RNA sequencing, I will determine which cells are responding to TSLP and assess whether eliminating those cells or blocking TSLP signaling prevents the development of EoE—work that could lead to effective clinical intervention for the disorder.