The long-term objective of our laboratory research is to elucidate the interaction between immune system and nervous system in autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases.  For example, inflammation in the peripheral lymphoid organs by infections, or in the CNS by traumatic injury, could cause blood brain barrier (BBB) damage, which may further result in immune cell infiltration into the CNS.  Infiltrated immune cells may pathologically affect the nervous system, and vice versa. A recent study demonstrated that strong activation of innate immunity by acute pathogen infection alters T cell pathogenicity to induce neuronal damage in the CNS. Therefore, investigation of interactions between nervous system and immune system in individual situations is currently important to identify the mechanisms of autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. The research goal of our lab is to lead the push towards the development of novel and effective therapeutic protocols for treating several diseases.