SC Connecticut News

Ruth Montgomery, a cellular immunologist at Yale School of Medicine and Yale School of Public Health, has been researching how aging impacts innate immunity. Her work aims to understand why older populations are more susceptible to infectious diseases and less responsive to vaccines.

Montgomery's research focuses on individual differences in immune responses that lead to varying outcomes from infections such as West Nile, dengue, Zika, and COVID-19. Recently, her work has expanded into inflammatory profiling for patients with sickle cell disease.

Discussing the effects of aging on innate immunity, Montgomery explains that the innate immune system comprises white blood cells like neutrophils—cells that respond differently depending on the age of the individual. "Even though these cells are born new every day," she states, "they respond differently to stimuli depending on whether they are from an older person or a younger one."

Montgomery's studies involve testing immune responses in groups under 35 and over 60 years old. The aim is to identify differences between individuals with severe diseases and those with asymptomatic infections.

In terms of discoveries, Montgomery notes: "For example, in a young person, when cells get infected with West Nile virus, they bring down the level of one of the molecules that recognizes the virus receptors to avoid an over-exuberant immune response. However, in an older person, that level stays high." This difference can complicate recovery for older patients.

Looking forward, Montgomery is focusing on sickle cell disease patients. Her team analyzes immune cell pathways at different times to understand their impact on immune responses compared to non-sickle cell household contacts. She describes this as "an exciting new area" due to its novelty in understanding sickle cell beyond red blood cell implications.

Montgomery highlights technological advancements in her field: "Every few years there's a revolution in how we study cells." Techniques like single-cell RNA sequencing and CyTOF allow her team to measure multiple parameters simultaneously and study both cellular activity and environmental context.

The Department of Internal Medicine at Yale School of Medicine continues its leadership in medical research and education globally.