European Immunology

Cytokine Signaling Networks & Immune Modulation

Cytokine signaling is fundamental to orchestrating immune responses, and new discoveries are illuminating the complex networks that govern inflammation, tolerance and tissue repair. Advanced profiling technologies such as single-cell sequencing, proteomics and spatial transcriptomics provide unprecedented insights into the interactions between cytokines, receptors and downstream pathways. Precision immunomodulation targets these networks to rebalance dysregulated responses in autoimmune diseases, chronic inflammation and cancer. Engineered cytokines, receptor agonists, antagonists and pathway-specific inhibitors enable selective fine-tuning of immune activity while minimizing systemic toxicity. Synthetic biology is contributing modular cytokine circuits designed for controlled release, targeted activation and microenvironment-specific function. Applications extend to enhancing vaccine efficacy, prolonging transplant survival and improving immunotherapy outcomes by modifying cytokine gradients in tumor microenvironments. Understanding feedback loops, cross-talk and metabolic influences on cytokine biology is central to developing next-generation therapies. This session highlights how network-based cytokine engineering is transforming modern immune intervention strategies.