In this episode of Dissertation in One Minute, Alexandra Schnell, PhD '22, presents groundbreaking research establishing a relationship between gut immunity and autoimmune diseases, specifically multiple sclerosis (MS). Schnell’s Harvard Griffin GSAS dissertation explored the role of T cells, which enable the body to fight infection, particularly Th17 cells–white blood cells correlated with MS. Her work identified two distinct groups of Th17 cells: one present in the gut of healthy mice, and another emerging in the brain's inflamed areas during MS. Her findings reveal that Th17 cells from the gut can transform into the harmful form seen in the brain during disease, showing a direct connection between gut health and brain inflammation during MS.
