Sarah Erickson
M.Sc. student
Ms. Erickson's thesis focused on the regulation of intestinal mucosal inflammatory signaling by the pregnane X receptor (PXR), a xenobiotic sensor reported to be activated by commensal microbial metabolites. Using a variety of in vitro and in vivo techniques, Sarah tested the hypothesis that the PXR regulates the inflammatory response to bacterial virulence factors and secreted toxins.