Innate Immunity, Neutrophils & Aging - The Hidalgo Lab at Yale School of Medicine

Why It Matters

The research could transform preventive medicine by turning neutrophils into biomarkers and therapeutic tools, potentially slowing age‑related organ decline and improving disease outcomes.

Key Takeaways

• Neutrophils are most abundant innate immune cells, short-lived
• They kill microbes and support tissue barriers and thermoregulation
• Aging reduces innate immunity, impairing organ function over time
• Lab uses microscopy, flow cytometry, and single‑cell transcriptomics
• Goal: leverage neutrophils for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment

Summary

The Hidalgo Lab at Yale focuses on neutrophils, the most abundant short‑lived innate immune cells, exploring how they contribute beyond pathogen killing—reinforcing barriers and aiding thermoregulation—and how their function changes with age.

Researchers highlight that loss of innate immune efficiency subtly degrades heart and lung performance, accelerating chronic disease. Using high‑resolution microscopy, flow cytometry, and single‑cell transcriptomics, they map neutrophil responses to perturbations such as aging, tumors, and other stressors.

“We have billions of neutrophils circulating daily,” says the speaker, emphasizing their potential as a diagnostic and therapeutic reservoir. The lab’s data reveal age‑related transcriptional shifts that correlate with reduced tissue resilience.

By decoding neutrophil dynamics, the team aims to develop interventions that harness this cellular army to improve tissue health, delay aging, and uncover mechanisms behind poorly understood diseases.

Original Description

For more information on Andres Hidalgo or #YaleSchoolOfMedicine, visit: https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/michasam-raredon and https://ahidalgolab.com.

At Yale University, the Hidalgo Lab investigates how innate immune cells work. Ultimately, they wish to understand how they shape inflammation, cancer, aging, and organismal health.

0:00 The Hidalgo Lab

0:31 What are they studying?

1:38 How are they studying it?

2:19 Where might this research lead?