The roles of novel pathways in the activation and regulation of the adaptive immune response in health and disease. The immune system is designed to protect us against infection and vaccines exploit this with great success in preventing many infections. However, the immune system can also 'fail' and attack the body in a process called autoimmunity e.g. destroying joints in rheumatoid arthritis. This proposal will define how white blood cells work to make better vaccines against infection and ho ....The roles of novel pathways in the activation and regulation of the adaptive immune response in health and disease. The immune system is designed to protect us against infection and vaccines exploit this with great success in preventing many infections. However, the immune system can also 'fail' and attack the body in a process called autoimmunity e.g. destroying joints in rheumatoid arthritis. This proposal will define how white blood cells work to make better vaccines against infection and how these same immune cells can malfunction to create autoimmune diseases like Crohn's disease.Read moreRead less
Identifying the major targets of protective antibodies against malaria. This project aims to understand how immunity to malaria develops and to use this knowledge to develop effective vaccines against malaria. The development of a malaria vaccine would be of great value in Australia's region where malaria is a leading cause of death and illness and impairs economic development. The project will advance our knowledge of how the immune system fights infections and will contribute to building Austr ....Identifying the major targets of protective antibodies against malaria. This project aims to understand how immunity to malaria develops and to use this knowledge to develop effective vaccines against malaria. The development of a malaria vaccine would be of great value in Australia's region where malaria is a leading cause of death and illness and impairs economic development. The project will advance our knowledge of how the immune system fights infections and will contribute to building Australia's strength in infectious diseases research and developing strategies to combat important infections. The project will help build and maintain expertise in developing vaccines in Australia and the approaches used and knowledge gained will be applicable to understanding and combating other important infections.Read moreRead less
Understanding T cell immunity induced by infection. We aim to understand how killer T cells are “programmed” upon activation and acquire their characteristic functions and how these are maintained into immunological memory. This proposal will provide insights important for the design and improvement of vaccine strategies to fight pathogens such as influenza, HIV and even tumors.
How the immune system recognises vitamin B-based allergies. This project aims to evaluate the range of molecules that can stimulate vitamin B-reactive T cells in mammals and amphibians, and the degree of conservation or variation in these molecules among diverse microorganisms. T cells are immune cells that recognise foreign molecules, including peptides, lipids and vitamin B metabolites, bound to specialised antigen-presenting molecules. In mammals, Mucosal Associated Invariant T cells, still p ....How the immune system recognises vitamin B-based allergies. This project aims to evaluate the range of molecules that can stimulate vitamin B-reactive T cells in mammals and amphibians, and the degree of conservation or variation in these molecules among diverse microorganisms. T cells are immune cells that recognise foreign molecules, including peptides, lipids and vitamin B metabolites, bound to specialised antigen-presenting molecules. In mammals, Mucosal Associated Invariant T cells, still poorly understood, recognise Vitamin B-based molecules. Combining immunology with structural biology and chemistry, this project aims to understand how the immune system detects molecules produced by diverse microorganisms.Read moreRead less
Cellular and molecular networks controlling protective immunity. This research aims to understand how a handful of master-regulator genes act to program immune cells required for immune responses to microbes, vaccination and to prevent cancer. It will provide a fundamental advance in our understanding of immune cell development and impact strategies aimed at the prevention and treatment of pathogen infections.
An investigation into the basis of the T-cell mediated adaptive immune response. Understanding the adaptive immune response to human pathogens is critically important to develop strategies to combat infection. This project will provide a better understanding of how T cells combat viral infection, and will lead to fundamental advances in our understanding of viral immunity and the development of novel immunotherapeutic strategies.
Imaging the generation and recall of protective antiviral immune responses in vivo. Our understanding of the in vivo dynamics of cellular immune responses to infectious diseases is poor. This project will utilise advanced intravital imaging combined with novel tools to dissect the cellular events involved in the generation and recall of T cell responses to localised virus infection, combined with a detailed functional analysis of the lymphoid organ stroma. Such fundamental information will contr ....Imaging the generation and recall of protective antiviral immune responses in vivo. Our understanding of the in vivo dynamics of cellular immune responses to infectious diseases is poor. This project will utilise advanced intravital imaging combined with novel tools to dissect the cellular events involved in the generation and recall of T cell responses to localised virus infection, combined with a detailed functional analysis of the lymphoid organ stroma. Such fundamental information will contribute to the development of new generation vaccines and therapies to protect against tissue-specific infectious diseases, cancers and autoimmune diseases.Read moreRead less
A molecular and functional investigation of innate-like T cells of the immune system. This project will investigate innate-like T cells, which are at a crossroad between innate and adaptive immunity. A complete knowledge of the cellular function and balance of these cells will offer potential for new immunotherapies associated with infectious and autoimmune disorders.
Drivers of effective T cell immunity. This project aims to investigate the mechanisms underpinning an effective immune response. In doing so, the project expects to decipher the various determinants of T cell immunity and explore how these determinants are integrated to generate effective immunity. The project will use a multidisciplinary approach to investigate antigen abundance and developmental, structural, and molecular aspects of T cells, expecting to significantly enhance our fundamental u ....Drivers of effective T cell immunity. This project aims to investigate the mechanisms underpinning an effective immune response. In doing so, the project expects to decipher the various determinants of T cell immunity and explore how these determinants are integrated to generate effective immunity. The project will use a multidisciplinary approach to investigate antigen abundance and developmental, structural, and molecular aspects of T cells, expecting to significantly enhance our fundamental understanding of mechanisms underpinning functional T cell responses, build interdisciplinary collaborations, and significantly advance the field of T cell biology.Read moreRead less
The role of immuno-exosomes in innate immunity. This project aims to determine the role of exosomes (EV) in innate immunity. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles secreted by mammalian cells that have an important biological function in intercellular communication by transferring biologically active proteins, lipids, and RNAs to neighbouring or distant cells. Following exposure to a foreign organism, cells dynamically change the protein composition of the EV they secrete. While this data supports ....The role of immuno-exosomes in innate immunity. This project aims to determine the role of exosomes (EV) in innate immunity. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles secreted by mammalian cells that have an important biological function in intercellular communication by transferring biologically active proteins, lipids, and RNAs to neighbouring or distant cells. Following exposure to a foreign organism, cells dynamically change the protein composition of the EV they secrete. While this data supports a role for EV as key players in innate immunity, a full understanding of the biological relevance of these vesicles and how they serve as a cellular defence mechanism is lacking. This project will provide significant benefits such as addressing key questions in EV biology and providing new fundamental insights into a novel and poorly understood component of the innate immune response.Read moreRead less