There are two arms to the immune system, one that learns and adapts, which can cause autoimmune disease, and another that is immediate and innate, and can cause autoinflammatory disease. This proposal continues our work in the characterization of rare genetic autoinflammatory disesaes and extrapolates these studies to more common chronic inflammatory diseases. This stands to improve current diagnosis and treatment, and elucidate future drug targets that could be targeted clinically.
Manipulating The Fine-turning Of The Innate Immune Response In Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$938,910.00
Summary
I am an international expert on the body’s first-line defense system, the innate immune response. My Fellowship focuses on studying and manipulating innate immune molecules called interferons. My research will lead to improved management of female reproductive disease, autoimmune disorders, infections and cancer through new diagnostics and therapies targeting the interferon system. The basic knowledge I generate on regulating the immune response will be applicable to a range of medical fields.
The Interferon System In Innate Immune Responses To Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$836,818.00
Summary
My research investigates special proteins called cytokines in the body’s first-line defence against infection, inflammation and cancer. I will characterise how cells respond, the signals that mediate effects, using sophisticated genetic and new computational techniques to manage and analyse data. One focus is a new cytokine we discovered that protects against infections of the reproductive tract –a global health and socio-economic problem affecting 1 billion people.