The evolution of inflammatory responses; through the interplay among human immunology, bioarchaeology, and human history
Dr. Crespo’s research agenda is focused on human evolutionary immunology, where he is trying to understand how different factors such as infectious diseases and stress shaped inflammation and immune responses in human populations. His research approach combines laboratory practice on experimental immunology in contemporary populations; and bioarchaeological and historical analysis to reconstruct the impact of infectious diseases in past populations.
Dr. Crespo is committed to train undergraduate and graduate students on different experimental protocols using human immune cells; and explore how exposure to different microbial factors can re-shape the immune responses. While all experimental protocols are conducted in laboratory settings, using bioarchaeological data, he tries to infuse a broad understanding on the interaction of different pathogens and humans through history. Ultimately, one of the main learning outcomes of this laboratory training, is to facilitate the students a more comprehensive knowledge that can be applied to different disciplines in future biomedical disciplines.