The differential regulation of sterol metabolism in neonatal and adult immunity against viral infection

Recent studies have shown that cholesterol metabolism plays a key role in regulating human innate immunity. However, this has yet to be explored in human neonates, which fall in the immunocompromised group of society. This project aims to determine the presence of an antiviral enzyme, 25-hydroxycholesterol (cholest-5-en-3β, 25-diol, 25HC), thought to also modulate the sterol biosynthesis pathway in adult humans.