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COVID-19 Immunology

Associate Professor Lydia Lynch

Associate Professor, Trinity Biomedical Science Institute

  • Research Institute:

    • Trinity Biomedical Science Institute

  • Contact e-mail:
  • Contact number:
  • Thematic Area:

    • Translational Immunology Studies

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Research Profile:

The major focus of the Lynch Lab research is to understand the interdependence of the immune and metabolic systems, especially in the setting of obesity and cancer. In particular, their research focuses on the effects of altered metabolism, such as in obesity, metabolic disease and the tumor microenvironment on immune cell function.

COVID-19 Project:

Worldwide, data has shown that obesity and type 2 diabetes are the most common co-morbidity in patients with COVID-19 and obesity is a major risk factor for severity of disease and death from COVID-19. Importantly, data so far has also shown that obesity may be a significant risk in younger patients dying of COVID-19, especially men. The aim of this project is to identify the immune basis for increased disease severity and death from COVID-19 in patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Uncovering details of the immune response in this unique patient population will help to steer patients toward more effective treatments that can lower the risk of death.