Associate Professor
My research investigates the microbial impact on immune development and function. When immune machinery functions properly, it is a potent weapon. When the machinery fails, the host is at risk for developing immune disorders like allergies and cancer. The prevalence of these immune disorders has drastically increased over the past few decades, particularly in areas with high sanitation standards and therefore decreased exposure to various microbes like viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Many researchers have developed hypotheses to explain this. One popular hypothesis is the hygiene hypothesis—basically, that the increase in cleanliness can have unintended, harmful consequences to the immune system.
My lab investigates the hypothesis that microbial exposure impacts innate and adaptive immune cell numbers, activation, and function in the context of cancer. We compare the immune systems of mice with little/no microbial experience and mice with extensive microbial experience. Our lab has shown that mice with increased microbial experience have corresponding increased innate and adaptive immune activation. We recently expanded these findings to a mouse model of melanoma. Microbially experienced mice have slower tumor growth, increase time of survival, and increased tumor-infiltrating immune cells. My lab continues to use this model to investigate the immune mechanism(s) resulting in increased anti-tumor immunity.
×
About Kristin Renkema
My research investigates the microbial impact on immune development and function. When immune machinery functions properly, it is a potent weapon. When the machinery fails, the host is at risk for developing immune disorders like allergies and cancer. The prevalence of these immune disorders has drastically increased over the past few decades, particularly in areas with high sanitation standards and therefore decreased exposure to various microbes like viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Many researchers have developed hypotheses to explain this. One popular hypothesis is the hygiene hypothesis—basically, that the increase in cleanliness can have unintended, harmful consequences to the immune system.
My lab investigates the hypothesis that microbial exposure impacts innate and adaptive immune cell numbers, activation, and function in the context of cancer. We compare the immune systems of mice with little/no microbial experience and mice with extensive microbial experience. Our lab has shown that mice with increased microbial experience have corresponding increased innate and adaptive immune activation. We recently expanded these findings to a mouse model of melanoma. Microbially experienced mice have slower tumor growth, increase time of survival, and increased tumor-infiltrating immune cells. My lab continues to use this model to investigate the immune mechanism(s) resulting in increased anti-tumor immunity.
| Present | Associate Professor, Grand Valley State University ‐ Biomedical Sciences | |
|
|
||
Disciplines
Research Interests
Courses
- BMS 213 - Microbiology Lab
| 2008 - 2013 | Ph.D., University of Arizona ‐ Immunology | |
|
|
||
| 2004 - 2008 | B.A., Anderson University ‐ Biology and Writing | |
|
|
||
Contact Information
Office: 321 Henry Hall
Phone: (616) 331-4307
Email: renkemak@gvsu.edu
This author has not uploaded works yet.