By unlocking how nerves “talk” to immune cells and control inflammation in the lungs, our work has the potential to redefine how we prevent and treat respiratory illness—from chronic inflammatory lung disease to vulnerability during infections. That’s a promise for healthier lives, fewer hospitalizations, and stronger public health globally.
What We Do
We’re living in a time when lung and immune diseases affect millions of people—and their impact is only growing. That’s why The Jendzjowsky Lab was founded in 2020 at The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center: to explore an exciting new frontier in human health.
We are discovering that certain nerves in the body don’t just help us breathe or sense the world—they also help guide the immune system. This hidden connection between the nervous system and immunity may hold the key to better treatments for respiratory illness, infection, and chronic inflammation.
Led by Principal Investigator Nicholas Jendzjowsky, PhD, our team studies how the body’s automatic reflexes influence immune responses, how nerve cells detect signs of inflammation, and how environmental exposures can change the way the lungs defend themselves. In simple terms, we’re mapping the “conversation” between the nervous and immune systems to understand how the body protects itself—and what happens when that communication goes wrong.
By uncovering these pathways, we’re paving the way for entirely new kinds of therapies—treatments that could prevent or reverse lung disease, boost resilience against infections, and improve health for people everywhere.
Current Projects
How Do Sensory Neurons Detect Microbes?
Imagine if some of the nerve cells in your body acted like tiny detectives—sniffing out germs long before you ever feel sick. That’s exactly what we’re studying.
Our team is discovering how sensory neurons might actually sense bacteria and viruses the moment they show up. To figure this out, we use high-tech tools that let us watch single cells in action, see when they “light up” with activity, and even listen to their electrical signals—almost like tuning in to a secret conversation happening inside the body.
By uncovering how these nerve-cell detectives work, we hope to reveal new ways the body protects itself—and open doors to future treatments that keep people healthier, longer.
How Do Sensory Neurons Communicate With Lymphocytes?
Think of your nerve cells and immune cells as teammates passing notes during a high-stakes game. Sensory neurons send tiny chemical messages—called neuropeptides—to lymphocytes, which are the immune cells that make antibodies.
This project uncovers which of these messages tell lymphocytes to gear up during a bacterial attack or, in the case of allergies, to calm things down. By decoding this secret “nerve-to-immune” language, we hope to discover smarter ways to boost protection and prevent overreactions that make people sick.
How Do Efferent Projections Communicate With Lymphocytes?
Imagine your body’s autopilot system sending messages to your immune cells. That’s what we’re studying. Efferent nerve signals may “coach” lymphocytes—your antibody-producing cells—on how to respond during bacterial infections or allergies.
By decoding this hidden coaching system, we hope to uncover new ways to boost protection when you need it and dial down inflammation when you don’t.
How Do Early-Life Epigenetic Changes Shape Our Reflexes?
In the earliest moments of life, the environment can leave tiny chemical “edits” on our cells—epigenetic marks that may influence health for decades. We’re uncovering how these early-life edits change the behavior of sensory neurons and neuroendocrine cells, the guardians that help regulate breathing, blood pressure, and the body’s overall balance.
By recreating these changes in the lab, we test how they reshape the reflexes that keep us alive and steady.
Our goal is to understand how early experiences program lifelong stability—and to discover ways to protect or even restore the body’s natural homeostasis.
Who We Are
Nicholas Jendzjowsky, PhD
Dr. Jendzjowsky’s work is driven by a passion for understanding how the nervous and immune systems collaborate to protect respiratory health. He investigates how reflexes, inflammation, and environmental signals shape lung function and immunity—unlocking insights that could redefine how we prevent and treat respiratory disease.
By revealing the fundamental neuro-immune pathways that keep us healthy, his research aims to spark breakthroughs with the power to improve lives on a global scale. Donor support accelerates this vision, turning bold scientific questions into discoveries that can transform human health.
Sreemoyee Acharya, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Fengli Zhu
Senior Research Associate
Kayla Davis
Staff Research Associate
Jolie Witkowski
Undergraduate Student Research Volunteer
Past Members
Lauren Benefield, Research Technician | Current: Immunis Biomedical
Katie Zyuzin, Research Associate | Current: Jackson Laboratories
Lab News
Contact Us
We are located at The Lundquist Institute in the Walter P. Martin Research Center. Download a campus map here.
1124 W. Carson St. Torrance, CA. 90502
For general lab inquiries,
- E-mail: [email protected]
- Call: (323) 457-1663