About Our Research

How does the innate immune system fight off infections using ‘non-professional’ immune cells? In the Troemel lab, we address this question by studying the dynamic between the nematode C. elegans and two of its naturally occurring intestinal pathogens— the fungal, spore-forming microsporidium Nematocida parisii, and the positive-sense, single-stranded RNA Orsay virus. See the research tab for more information.

The Troemel Lab was established in La Jolla at the University of California San Diego in the fall of 2008. Click on the publications tab to learn more about our latest pursuits!

Small GTPase RAB-11 (green) surrounds N. parisii spores about to exit non-lytically from the apical side of C. elegans intestinal cells (red). Szumowski et al, PNAS 2014.

Featured Publications

2026_01_21_Sample_cover_1_isci-cover
A pop-art rendition of mitochondrial matrix morphology phenotypes in C. elegans arranged to produce abstract shapes and patterns. By Max Strul
Spencer S. Gang*, Max W. Strul*, Desmond Richmond-Buccola, Emily R. Troemel (2026). Immune regulators PALS-25 and PALS-22 localize to mitochondria and regulate mitochondrial fragmentation in C. elegans. iScience. 2026 Jan 27;29(3):114814. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2026.114814. 

Congratulations to PhD student Max Strul and former postdoc Spencer Gang (now Assistant Professor at Colorado College) on their co-first author publication demonstrating that IPR regulators PALS-25 and PALS-22 localize to mitochondria and regulate mitochondrial morphology.  This PALS-25-directed shift toward fragmented mitochondria appears to be a consequence of IPR activation, and promotes pathogen resistance.

Click the publication title to find out more!


Virus-infected animals exhibit DRH-1 puncta (red) that colocalize with dsRNA (green) in intestinal cells.
Batachari LE, Dai AY, Troemel ER Caenorhabditis elegans RIG-I-like receptor DRH-1 signals via CARDs to activate antiviral immunity in intestinal cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024 Jul 16;121(29). doi: 10.1073/.

Congratulations to PhD student Lakshmi Batachari on her publication characterizing the RIG-I-like receptor DRH-1, and how it uses an N-terminal domain that appears to be a 2CARD to activate the Intracellular Pathogen Response.

DRH-1 also forms discrete puncta in intestinal cells upon infection, which colocalizes with staining for double-stranded RNA.

Click the publication title to find out more!

Lažetić, V., Wu, F., Cohen, L.B. et al. The transcription factor ZIP-1 promotes resistance to intracellular infection in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nat Commun 13, 17 (2022).

Congratulations to Postdoc Vladimir Lažetić on his latest publication, which identifies ZIP-1 as a key transcription factor in the intracellular pathogen response (IPR) that promotes resistance to RNA virus and other intracellular pathogen infections in C. elegans.

Click below for UC San Diego’s press release regarding the publication!
Press Release

C. elegans intestinal cells infected with Orsay virus (red) and ZIP-1 protein expression (green) that is induced only in the presence of the DRH-1/RIG-I receptor.

Events and Publications

Pizza lunch to celebrate awards, March 2026

We shared a pizza picnic lunch to celebrate Emily’s selection as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and support for Tyler Bechtel from the Packard Fellows, administered by the Science…

Events

Prof. Emily Troemel opening plenary talk at the
23rd International C. elegans conference

C. elegans 2021 Conference Opening Plenary Talk
Tune in to the opening plenary session talk by Prof. Emily Troemel at the 23rd International C. elegans Conference, introduced by her former postdoctoral fellow Eillen Tecle, now Asst Professor at CSU-Dominguez Hills.
 

Eillen Tecle, PhD

This session— chaired by Barbara Conradt (University College London, UK) and Piali Sengupta (Brandeis University, USA)— features talks that discuss topics of interest in C. elegans research. Emily’s talk on host/pathogen interactions, Worm Health Organization: Understanding the Pandemics Facing C. elegans, is featured here.
To check out the full video or more content from the GSA click below!
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Global Immunotalks: Characterization of the
Intracellular Pathogen Response in C. elegans

Exploring innate immunity in C. elegans with Emily Troemel
Global Immunotalks is a presentation series organized by Carla V. Rothlin and Elina I. Zúñiga that explores a variety of immunology-related topics. Started back in April, these talks are hosted via zoom every Wednesday at 9 AM, with videos of presentations uploaded to YouTube for later viewing.
 
In the featured video, our own Emily Troemel gives an introduction to C. elegans innate immunity, and shares some of the exciting research that our lab continues to explore!
 
Click below for more presentations in the Global Immunotalks series.

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Graduate Program Affiliations

Biological Sciences

Biological Sciences

at UC San Diego

"Providing world-class research training in the basic biological sciences to equip a diverse group of trainees for a variety of scientific careers."

Biomedical Sciences

Biomedical Sciences

at UC San Diego

"Dedicated to training the next generation of biomedical scientists in a collaborative, inclusive, and multidisciplinary environment."

Get in Touch

Lab Address

9500 Gilman Dr, #0349

4205 Bonner Hall

La Jolla, CA 92093-0349

Lab Phone

(858) 246-0882