Defining the biosynthesis and immunological properties of complex bacterial glycolipids. We will study how sugar-lipids are made by industrially, agriculturally and medically important bacteria, and how they interact with the immune system. This will provide new insights into cell wall biosynthesis of importance to the biotechnology industry and identify new reagents for manipulating the immune system.
Control of immune recognition and response by microbial metabolites. This project aims to study immune recognition of microbial metabolites and develop reagents to control immune responses. Chemical synthesis will be used to develop new antigens for unconventional T cells and the first soluble agonists and antagonists of a glycolipid-sensing immune receptor. Expected outcomes include the discovery of new immune effectors, broadening our knowledge of the repertoire of small molecules that can be ....Control of immune recognition and response by microbial metabolites. This project aims to study immune recognition of microbial metabolites and develop reagents to control immune responses. Chemical synthesis will be used to develop new antigens for unconventional T cells and the first soluble agonists and antagonists of a glycolipid-sensing immune receptor. Expected outcomes include the discovery of new immune effectors, broadening our knowledge of the repertoire of small molecules that can be sensed by the immune system, and developing chemical approaches to promote or dampen immune responses. Major benefits include research training in chemical biology, strengthened international linkages and fundamental insights into the chemical basis of immune recognition and response.Read moreRead less
Unravelling the immunology of complex glycolipids by chemical synthesis. This project seeks to develop new approaches to chemically synthesise bacterial and fungal glycolipids and develop a molecular-level understanding of their effect on the immune system. Bacterial and fungal glycolipids are exotic chemical species that act as danger signals to prime and modulate our innate immune responses. These complex glycolipids possess powerful immunological activities that continue to shape our understa ....Unravelling the immunology of complex glycolipids by chemical synthesis. This project seeks to develop new approaches to chemically synthesise bacterial and fungal glycolipids and develop a molecular-level understanding of their effect on the immune system. Bacterial and fungal glycolipids are exotic chemical species that act as danger signals to prime and modulate our innate immune responses. These complex glycolipids possess powerful immunological activities that continue to shape our understanding of innate immunity, yet cannot be acquired from natural sources in the quantities and purity needed. The approaches expected to be developed in the project will be used to illuminate molecular details of immune signalling through pattern recognition receptors and presentation on specialised glycolipid antigen-presenting molecules. Outcomes may include new ways to fight disease and promote health by marshalling the resources of the immune system.Read moreRead less