The focus of our research is to understand, at a mechanistic level, the function of tissue-resident macrophages as effectors of innate immunity in acute and chronic inflammation, infection, and cancer. Macrophages are a phenotypically diverse, multifunctional population of immune cells found in every tissue in the body that play key roles in maintaining normal tissue function and immune defense against pathogens. Our work focuses on defining the molecular pathways that regulate macrophage motility, phagocytosis and inflammatory responses related to their roles in the clearance of dying cells and cancer cells. We use a wide range of basic and advanced genetic, biochemical, and imaging techniques to address these questions. Through ongoing collaborations with multiple basic and clinical labs, we ultimately seek to translate our research efforts into new disease therapies that harness the powerful immune-regulating properties of macrophages.