IRR Seminar: Professor Luke O'Neill “Targeting immunometabolism to treat inflammatory diseases”Professor Luke O’Neill, Inflammation Research Group, School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College DublinProfessor O'Neill webpageHost: Professor Adriano RossiAbstract: Immunometabolism has emerged as an important part of immunology with many therapeutic prospects presenting themselves. Mitochondrial disturbance has been a particular focus and is a feature of inflammatory cells. We have been analysing mitochondrial metabolites, notably itaconate and fumarate in inflammatory macrophages. Itaconate derivatives are anti-inflammatory and have potential for the treatment of immune and inflammatory diseases. We have found that the cytokine GDF-15 is a key signal being driven by itaconate and fumarate, as well as general disturbance of mitochondria. It has anti-inflammatory effects, can limit food intake and thereby control obesity, and may act to take the pressure off damaged mitochondria in inflammation. Overall evidence is growing that a break in mitochondrial endosymbiosis might be a reason for the increasing incidence of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. NLRP3 is an important target that becomes activated and there are over 20 inhibitors currently in development for a range of inflammatory diseases. Other targets outside mitochondria include the enzyme PKM2 which is key to the Warburg metabolism that defines inflammation and is also being targeted in the clinic. These insights are providing a new view of metabolism in immunity and inflammation and might indicate new therapeutic approaches.Biog: Luke O’Neill is Professor of Biochemistry in the School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. He is a world expert on innate immunity and inflammation. Professor O'Neill is co-founder of Sitryx, which aims to develop new medicines for inflammatory diseases. Another company he co-founded, Inflazome was acquired by Roche in 2020 and is carrying out trials in Parkinson’s Disease, Severe Asthma and Heart disease using new therapeutics based on his work. He was awarded the Royal Dublin Society / Irish Times Boyle Medal for scientific excellence, the Royal Irish Academy Gold Medal for Life Sciences, the European Federation of Immunology Societies Medal and the Landsteiner Award from the Austrian Academy of Sciences. He is a member of the Royal Irish Academy, EMBO (European Molecular Biology Organisation) a Fellow of the Royal Society and holds Honorary Degrees from the Universities of Massachusetts and Bath and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.Please join us after the seminar for networking, pizza and drinks in the Niche café. May 07 2026 15.00 - 16.00 IRR Seminar: Professor Luke O'Neill “Targeting immunometabolism to treat inflammatory diseases” IRR South large seminar room 1.05
IRR Seminar: Professor Luke O'Neill “Targeting immunometabolism to treat inflammatory diseases”Professor Luke O’Neill, Inflammation Research Group, School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College DublinProfessor O'Neill webpageHost: Professor Adriano RossiAbstract: Immunometabolism has emerged as an important part of immunology with many therapeutic prospects presenting themselves. Mitochondrial disturbance has been a particular focus and is a feature of inflammatory cells. We have been analysing mitochondrial metabolites, notably itaconate and fumarate in inflammatory macrophages. Itaconate derivatives are anti-inflammatory and have potential for the treatment of immune and inflammatory diseases. We have found that the cytokine GDF-15 is a key signal being driven by itaconate and fumarate, as well as general disturbance of mitochondria. It has anti-inflammatory effects, can limit food intake and thereby control obesity, and may act to take the pressure off damaged mitochondria in inflammation. Overall evidence is growing that a break in mitochondrial endosymbiosis might be a reason for the increasing incidence of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. NLRP3 is an important target that becomes activated and there are over 20 inhibitors currently in development for a range of inflammatory diseases. Other targets outside mitochondria include the enzyme PKM2 which is key to the Warburg metabolism that defines inflammation and is also being targeted in the clinic. These insights are providing a new view of metabolism in immunity and inflammation and might indicate new therapeutic approaches.Biog: Luke O’Neill is Professor of Biochemistry in the School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. He is a world expert on innate immunity and inflammation. Professor O'Neill is co-founder of Sitryx, which aims to develop new medicines for inflammatory diseases. Another company he co-founded, Inflazome was acquired by Roche in 2020 and is carrying out trials in Parkinson’s Disease, Severe Asthma and Heart disease using new therapeutics based on his work. He was awarded the Royal Dublin Society / Irish Times Boyle Medal for scientific excellence, the Royal Irish Academy Gold Medal for Life Sciences, the European Federation of Immunology Societies Medal and the Landsteiner Award from the Austrian Academy of Sciences. He is a member of the Royal Irish Academy, EMBO (European Molecular Biology Organisation) a Fellow of the Royal Society and holds Honorary Degrees from the Universities of Massachusetts and Bath and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.Please join us after the seminar for networking, pizza and drinks in the Niche café. May 07 2026 15.00 - 16.00 IRR Seminar: Professor Luke O'Neill “Targeting immunometabolism to treat inflammatory diseases” IRR South large seminar room 1.05
May 07 2026 15.00 - 16.00 IRR Seminar: Professor Luke O'Neill “Targeting immunometabolism to treat inflammatory diseases”
