Jack Drda

My research focuses on immunometabolism, with a particular emphasis on lipoprotein metabolism. I investigate the physiological differences between intracellular cholesterol synthesized endogenously through the mevalonate pathway and dietary cholesterol absorbed in the intestine. Although cholesterol itself is chemically identical, the biology of these two pools differs substantially. Dietary cholesterol is unique in that it is absorbed by the intestinal epithelium and packaged into chylomicrons, which enter the lymphatic system rather than the portal circulation, unlike carbohydrates and proteins. As a result, these lipid-rich particles traffic through lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes, where they interact directly with immune cells. My work seeks to understand how T cells sense and utilize lipids carried by chylomicrons and how distinct lipid profiles shape immune signaling and inflammatory diseases.