Investigation of Macrophage Function in an Immunologically Privileged Site. The unique phenotype of the testicular macrophage demands understanding, and this project has the potential to open up an entirely new direction of research. The basic information so generated could facilitate development of strategies to alter either host or donor tissue macrophage functions in order to prevent rejection responses in humans, and be used in the development of new anti-inflammatory drugs. Such technologie ....Investigation of Macrophage Function in an Immunologically Privileged Site. The unique phenotype of the testicular macrophage demands understanding, and this project has the potential to open up an entirely new direction of research. The basic information so generated could facilitate development of strategies to alter either host or donor tissue macrophage functions in order to prevent rejection responses in humans, and be used in the development of new anti-inflammatory drugs. Such technologies will have application in development of novel therapeutics for transplantation and the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases. Read moreRead less
Calcium signalling in neurons of the central nervous system. Understanding of the processes of cell-to-cell communication between neurons that comprise the brain and central nervous system is of primary importance to our understanding of fundamental phenomena such as voluntary and reflex movement, sensory responses and learning and memory. We would like to obtain a better understanding of how calcium controls neuronal and synaptic function. These studies will combine high-speed fluorescence ima ....Calcium signalling in neurons of the central nervous system. Understanding of the processes of cell-to-cell communication between neurons that comprise the brain and central nervous system is of primary importance to our understanding of fundamental phenomena such as voluntary and reflex movement, sensory responses and learning and memory. We would like to obtain a better understanding of how calcium controls neuronal and synaptic function. These studies will combine high-speed fluorescence imaging, electrophysiological recording, gene transfer using Adeno- and Sindbis viruses, and genetically designed and targeted biosensors to describe key "descriptors" of the calcium signals generated as neurons of the central nervous system ?talk? to each other.Read moreRead less
Signalling cross-talk through Suppressors Of Cytokine Signalling (SOCS) initiates luteolysis in the ovary. Members of the newly discovered SOCS protein family block cytokine signal transduction pathways, including those for prolactin and GH. We have discovered that one of these proteins, SOCS-3, is upregulated in the corpus luteum of the ovary by prostaglandins and propose that induction of prolactin or GH resistance is a hitherto unrecognised and critical step in luteolysis. We have also disco ....Signalling cross-talk through Suppressors Of Cytokine Signalling (SOCS) initiates luteolysis in the ovary. Members of the newly discovered SOCS protein family block cytokine signal transduction pathways, including those for prolactin and GH. We have discovered that one of these proteins, SOCS-3, is upregulated in the corpus luteum of the ovary by prostaglandins and propose that induction of prolactin or GH resistance is a hitherto unrecognised and critical step in luteolysis. We have also discovered that this cross-talk between prostaglandin- and cytokine-receptor signalling pathways occurs in preadipocyte and breast cell lines and propose that this research will serve as a paradigm for understanding how sensitivity to cytokines can be controlled at a molecular level.Read moreRead less