Kate Nautiyal
BS/BA. (University of Pennsylvania); MA (Columbia University)
Graduate Research Fellow, Department of Psychology, Columbia University

Research Interests: Psychoneuroimmunology, the neural basis of behavior

The immune system and the brain are traditionally thought to mediate disparate physiological functions.  Importantly, there is evidence for dynamic interactions between the two.  It is necessary to delineate these connections, as the immune system has recently become the focus of the etiology and treatment of many psychiatric diseases.  I am interested in understanding the mechanisms by which the immune system can affect brain, behavior and mental health. 

My focus is on mast cells, immune cells classically known for their role in allergy and asthma.   Less known is the fact that they reside in the brain, and that their population fluctuates with environmental and behavioral state.  Mast cells also have the ability to synthesize and release numerous neuroactive and neurotrophic mediators.  We have found that mast cells in the brain impact anxiety and fear behaviors.  I am currently investigating the mechanisms by which mast cells and their mediators can affect the neural systems underlying affect.