Metabolism and immunity are critically involved in survival and are intimately interconnected. Indeed, mounting an immune response requires major changes to metabolic processes. Immune mediators directly dictate changes in metabolism. On the other side, dysfunctional metabolic regulation can impact on immune responses. The intestinal barrier illustrates this interconnection where an imbalance between the belligerents can result in altered intestinal microbiota, nutrient sensing, cellular energy homeostasis, and the antibacterial immunity.

This has led to the concept of ‘immunometabolism‘, which underpins the development of many diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers.

Understanding the immune–metabolic interface in health and disease is a daunting challenge that the IMMUNOMET workgroup presented herein has decided to meet. The scope of this grouping is to foster a competitive network of expertise in both basic and clinical sciences aimed at increasing scientific interactions in the field of immunometabolism.


To have an overview of our hypotheses, we invite you to read our last collaborative review published in Immunity:

Norata, G. D., G. Caligiuri, T. Chavakis, G. Matarese, M. G. Netea, A. Nicoletti, L. A. O’Neill, and F. M. Marelli-Berg. 2015. The Cellular and Molecular Basis of Translational Immunometabolism. Immunity 43: 421-434.


Last publications from the consortium teams

  • Metabolic pressure and the breach of immunological self-tolerance
    Metabolic pressure and the breach of immunological self-tolerance

    Metabolic pressure and the breach of immunological self-tolerance

    Oct 27, 2017

    Team of G Matarese: De …

  • A guiding map for inflammation
    A guiding map for inflammation

    A guiding map for inflammation

    Aug 29, 2017

    Team of M Netea: Netea …

  • CD34+ mesenchymal cells are a major component of the intestinal stem cells niche at homeostasis and after injury
    CD34+ mesenchymal cells are a major component of the intestinal stem cells niche at homeostasis and after injury

    CD34+ mesenchymal cells are a major component of the intestinal stem cells niche at homeostasis and after injury

    Aug 29, 2017

    Team of G Eberl: Stzepourginski …

  • Mitochondria are the powerhouses of immunity
    Mitochondria are the powerhouses of immunity

    Mitochondria are the powerhouses of immunity

    Aug 29, 2017

    Team of L O’Neil: Mills …

  • A self-sustained loop of inflammation-driven inhibition of beige adipogenesis in obesity
    A self-sustained loop of inflammation-driven inhibition of beige adipogenesis in obesity

    A self-sustained loop of inflammation-driven inhibition of beige adipogenesis in obesity

    Aug 29, 2017

    Team of T Chavakis: Chung KJ …

  • Broad defects in the energy metabolism of leukocytes underlie immunoparalysis in sepsis
    Broad defects in the energy metabolism of leukocytes underlie immunoparalysis in sepsis

    Broad defects in the energy metabolism of leukocytes underlie immunoparalysis in sepsis

    Apr 1, 2016

    Team of M Netea: Cheng …