Full description of Moura-Alves group figure

A schematic showing the main aims of the Moura Alves research group, depicted in the setting of an airport. The AhR might serve as an “airport” that, under different circumstances, deals with the arrival of diverse cargos that need to be identified and directed to their correct destinations. During infection, by changing the expression of different molecules (cargos), bacteria might present to the AhR the cues that the host uses to identify different infection stages. Upon recognition of these cargos, the AhR rapidly mobilises its network and assigns the different protocols or functions to be taken, therefore leading to distinct outcomes/destinations, including different immune responses and bacterial adaptation strategies. In a similar fashion, the AhR might play an important role in regulating host responses to cancer by sensing different tumour metabolic profiles during the course of the disease to sense cancer stage and tumour microenvironment. The main interactions to be studied include the host signalling pathways Nrf2, LXR, HIF1alpha, NF-kappaB, NR and others. We will also investigate the host responses such as immune responses and drug metabolism.