Understanding and harnessing the draining lymph node as a filter

Description of the granted funding

Lymph nodes are a central part of the body's defense system. Various foreign substances, such as molecules derived from bacteria, viruses, or cancer cells, are constantly transported to them. These substances arrive in the lymph nodes with the lymph fluid, and the lymph nodes filter them to combat harmful agents and initiate an immune response. However, this filtering process is not yet fully understood. The goal of our research is to determine how lymph nodes recognize and process foreign lymph-borne substances. We aim to understand how foreign molecules are distributed across different regions of the lymph node and how they affect various types of structural cells in the lymph node, such as lymphatic and connective tissue cells. Additionally, we are looking for ways to influence the filtering molecules of the lymph nodes and the function of structural cells, thereby enhancing the body's ability to defend against foreign molecules, for example, in infectious diseases and cancer.
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Starting year

2025

End year

2029

Granted funding

Marko Salmi Orcid -palvelun logo
599 997 €

Funder

Research Council of Finland

Funding instrument

Academy projects

Decision maker

Scientific Council for Biosciences, Health and the Environment
16.06.2025

Other information

Funding decision number

371025

Fields of science

Biomedicine

Research fields

Biolääketieteet