Effect of Neonatal Hyperoxia on Alveolar Development and Infection

We will test the hypothesis that neonatal hyperoxia enhances sensitivity to IAV infection by inducing epigenetic changes in proliferating AEC2s that are maintained even when they become AEC1s and these changes are mediated by the persistent expression of Ki67. Understanding how neonatal hyperoxia shapes how AECs respond to IAV infection is important because the scientific discoveries will stimulate development of novel therapies designed to improve the health of people born preterm. Our group will be responsible of generating stocks of influenza A viruses, both wild-type and single-cycle infectious, expressing fluorescent proteins that will be used in this project.