Raquel Hontecillas is the co-director of the NIMML institute. For more than 2 decades, she has conducted research in the regulatory mechanisms of the immune system. She is particularly interested in the the role of pathways that control metabolic responses during infection and inflammatory processes, and how these contribute to the regulation of the immune response during autoimmune disease. Dr. Hontecillas has led and participated in several NIH-funded projects and served as Immunology lead for the NIH/NIAID-funded Center for Modeling Immunity to Enteric Pathogens (MIEP) under the Modeling Immunity for Biodefense program. Dr Hontecillas strongly believes in using fundamental scientific breakthroughs as basis to identify better therapeutic targets and develop safer, more effective treatments. She is currently involved in efforts aiming at developing novel treatments for autoimmune diseases from preclinical testing to Phase 3 clinical trials in autoimmune disease.