The Dual-edged Sword Of Zinc As An Innate Immune Antimicrobial Weapon Against Uropathogenic E. Coli
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$784,428.00
Summary
Infectious diseases are a major global health threat, and urinary tract infections (UTI) are one of the most common infectious diseases. Most UTI are caused by uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC). In order to cause infections, UPEC must be able to overcome our body’s first line of defence, the innate immune system. This project seeks to understand how our innate immune system uses zinc to combat bacterial infections, and how UPEC is able to defend against such responses in order to cause disease.
Defining The Role Of Zinc In Human Macrophage Responses To Salmonella
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$592,049.00
Summary
It is estimated that one third of the worlds population is affected by mild to moderate zinc deficiency, and that this predisposes to a range of infectious diseases. The immunomodulatory effects of zinc have been appreciated for many years, and indeed zinc supplementation is used to treat severe diarrhoeal diseases. This project aims to understand the anti-infective mechanisms of zinc by focusing on macrophages, a key cell type involved in killing invading microorganisms.
Pattern Recognition Receptors In Inflammation And Infection
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$622,655.00
Summary
Innate immunity provides our first line of defence against infections, but pathogens can overcome this system. Understanding how microbes disable innate immunity can teach us how to prevent and/or treat infectious diseases. Innate immunity acts by initiating inflammation. Many important acute and chronic diseases develop when this process is dysregulated. Blocking innate immunity thus has potential to treat many diseases. This project aims to understand innate immunity in these contexts.
PB1-F2 Is Critical To Influenza A Virus Pathogenicity Through Activation Of The Inflammasome
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$663,919.00
Summary
Fatal Influenza A virus infections are excessive inflammation. We identified the IAV protein PB1-F2 as critical in driving excessive inflammation via activating the host inflammasome complex. Our study evaluates PB1-F2-mediated inflammation contribution to inflammatory responses. Identifying PB1-F2 in emerging IAV strains is invaluable in aiding health policy makers to quickly assess fatal IAV pandemics. Our research will potentially identify treatment targets towards reducing this inflammation
Combating Infectious Diseases By Harnessing Macrophage Functions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$688,152.00
Summary
Infectious diseases present a persistent global health threat. For patients with life-threatening diseases caused by bacterial pathogens, antibiotics provide the last resort. Antibiotic resistance, even for newly developed antibiotics, is widespread within the bacterial community. New strategies are urgently needed to combat most bacterial infections. This proposal will investigate a new strategy to train and boost our immune systems to combat infectious diseases.
Type I Interferon Signalling In Bacterial Infection
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$738,274.00
Summary
Infectious diseases are a leading cause of death in Australia. Activation of disease-fighting inflammasomes sets in motion rapid immune defenses against pathogens. In this project, we explore how cell-cell communication molecules known as type I interferons communicate with inflammasomes to achieve the best outcome in the body in response to deadly bacterial infection. Understanding how these signals communicate with one another could reveal new ways to fight infectious diseases.
Investigating The Role Of Mucosal Associated Invariant T (MAIT) Cells In Mycobacterium Tuberculosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$122,566.00
Summary
Tuberculosis (TB) is a deadly infectious disease that kills 2 million people per year worldwide. If we are to eliminate this disease, we urgently need a new TB vaccine. I plan to look at what role a newly discovered type of T cell might play in TB infection and to see whether these cells can be manipulated by vaccination. This work will help us to understand more about the body’s first response to TB infection and how we can use this response in the design of new TB vaccines.
Identification Of Novel Strategies To Mediate Immunity Against Intracellular Pathogens
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$325,084.00
Summary
The immune system consists of two arms - innate and adaptive. Current vaccine strategies rely mainly on adaptive features of the immune system to mediate immunity against pathogens. Many pathogens have evolved sophisticated strategies to manipulate the adaptive immune system to render it ineffective. This project will investigate microbial detection by the innate immune system, and aims to discover novel, more effective strategies to mediate immunity against intracellular pathogens.
Microbial Evasion Of A Novel Inflammasome By Salmonella
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$486,174.00
Summary
Microbes quickly evolve to evade detection by the innate immune system, the body’s first line of defence against infection. This project investigates the mechanisms by which the immune system recognises bacterial infection, and pathways used by bacteria to avoid these defences. This research will lead to a better understanding of mechanisms underlying resistance and susceptibility to bacterial infection.
The Role Of A Novel Cytokine Of The Innate Immune Response In Viral Infection
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$344,407.00
Summary
Sexually transmitted infections represent a critical global health and socioeconomic problem with over 1 billion new cases per annum. I propose a world-first description of a new protein that has a protective role against herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection of female reproductive tract. This unique protein, called interferon epsilon, was discovered in our laboratory. This project will facilitate development of new therapeutic approaches of benefit in HSV-2 infection.