The Skaar lab is interested in the impact of nutrition on inflammation and infectious disease with a particular focus on nutrient metals. Metals are essential for all life because approximately 30% of all proteins in nature require metals to carry out their biological function. Bacterial pathogens must acquire metals inside their hosts in order to successfully mediate infection. However, vertebrates have evolved strategies to sequester nutrient metal from invading bacteria in a process known as “nutritional immunity.” In addition to protecting against infection, these nutritional immunity factors also have important roles during inflammation and the pathogenesis of cancer. Therefore the Skaar lab's research is at the intersection of infection, immunology, and cancer biology.