Why microbes matter: Your immune system’s microscopic allies | Behind the Bench with Howard Hang

In a special year-end episode of Science Changing Life, we’re revisiting five moments from 2025 that continue to shape how we think about science. Featuring insights from Scripps Research experts across genetics, infectious disease, public health surveillance and chronic illness, this episode features some of this year’s most memorable soundbites.

Members of the public were invited to meet the San Diego scientists leading groundbreaking biomedical research when Scripps Research held its second annual Discovery Day at the Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park on Sunday, November 9, 2025. More than 60 Scripps Research graduate students and postdoctoral scholars shared the excitement of scientific discovery at more than a dozen hands-on activity tables. Visitors experienced demonstrations and explored topics ranging from chemistry, neuroscience, viruses and vaccines, aging research, cancer biology, the gut microbiome, and much more.

Just as we can distinguish between the sting of heat and the chill of cold, our immune system is finely tuned to recognize and respond to a wide range of threats, from viruses and bacteria to allergens and injury. This complex sensing relies on communication between diverse cell types, including sensory neurons and immune cells, to ensure responses are tailored to the specific challenge. In this Front Row lecture, Assistant Professor Alejandra Mendoza explored how neuro-immune cellular circuits regulate inflammation, pain, and immunity. By bridging neuroscience and immunology, her research is revealing how our bodies interpret signals from the environment to guide immune decisions, from fighting infections to controlling tumor growth and chronic inflammatory diseases.

The second annual Scripps Research Biotech Innovation Summit convened in La Jolla this October, bringing together thought leaders from across the biotech spectrum for a dynamic program of keynote presentations, fireside chats, pitches and collaborative networking opportunities. Event attendees engaged directly with Scripps Research investigators pioneering early-stage innovation and the programming showcased how strategic partnerships between academia and industry can transform breakthrough discoveries into therapies that address urgent medical needs.