The Laboratory of Cellular Biology at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, established in 1995 by Dr. Rossana Melo, studies basic cellular mechanisms involved in different forms of inflammation. The lab’s research is aimed at understanding how cells from the immune system mainly eosinophils, neutrophils, and macrophages respond to inflammatory situations including host defense to infectious and allergic diseases by investigating the functional activity and structural organization of these cells. Different cell processes and pathways such as intracellular transport and mechanisms of secretion of immune mediators, signaling pathways associated with inflammation and metabolism, and pathological processes have been investigated. Another area of interest involves research at the interface of Cell Biology and Ecological systems, with an emphasis on the ultrastructure of microorganisms, virus-bacteria interactions, and pathogen-host-microenvironment relationships (Cellular Ecology).
