Top scientists from across India and around the world have concluded that innate immune signaling, or the human body’s first line of non-specific defense against foreign bodies, autophagy – the cell cleaning and recycling system, as well as various forms of programmed cell death – work together rather than as isolated pathways.
Cellular “disruptions” in one pathway can strongly influence others, affecting diseases ranging from infections and autoimmune disorders to cancer and neurodegeneration, concluded a three-day India-EMBO (European Molecular Biology Organization) lecture course on “Cell-autonomous defense and innate immunity” organized by CSIR-Centre for Molecular Biology and Biology last week.
Leading scientists debated how cells protect themselves from infection and damage. The main highlight was that instead of treating different immune processes separately, the cell’s defenses, cleaning machinery and self-destructive programs were all found to be closely linked.
Senior principal scientist and lead organizer Santosh Chauhan said scientists at the meeting shared evidence that all cells have a “first response system” that can sense invading microbes, remove damaged components from cells and activate emergency shutdown programs in cells when necessary. Understanding these early defense steps helps explain why some infections or inflammatory conditions become serious while others do not, he said.
It has been accepted that there is a unified mechanism linking the various methods used by immune cells to kill foreign bodies. This framework is reshaping the way scientists think about how cells die during infection or inflammation, and how these processes can be targeted to develop new therapies, Mr. Chauhan explained.
The event also yielded new research insights into how cells mark, sequester and clear invading microbes. These internal “quality control” systems are now recognized as central players in immunity, opening avenues for host-directed therapies that enhance the body’s own defenses rather than directly targeting pathogens.
“During the meeting, we had direct contact with the latest ideas and tools shaping global immunology. The discussions are expected to spark new collaborations and help accelerate research into infectious diseases, inflammation and cell therapies within the country,” the scientist added in a press release.
Published – 8 Dec 2025 20:39 IST
