Studying immune system using imaging and microfabrication

생체영상과 미세가공을 이용한 면역 시스템 연구

Immune system is composed of multiple cells with distinct functions, and immune responses are orchestrated by complex and dynamic cell-cell interactions. Therefore, each cell behavior and function should be understood under right spatio-temporal context. Studying such complexity and dynamics has been challenging with conventional biological tools. Recent development of new technologies such as state of art imaging instruments and microfabrication techniques compatible with biological systems have provided many exciting opportunities to dissect complex and dynamic immune cell interactions; new microscopy techniques enable us to observe stunning dynamics of immune system in real time. Microfabrication permits us to manipulate microenvironments governing molecular/cellular dynamics of immune cells to study detailed mechanisms of phenomena observed by microscopy. Also, microfabrication can be used to engineer microenvironments optimal for specific imaging techniques. In this presentation, I am going to present an example of how these two techniques can be combined to tackle challenging problems in immunology. Obviously, this strategy can readily be applied to many different fields of biology other than immunology.