Identifying Molecular Signatures Of Type 1 Diabetes.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$49,442.00
Summary
Type 1 diabetes is caused by loss of the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. Certain white blood cells of the immune system direct a damaging inflammatory response towards beta cells. Patients become ill once most of the beta cells are destroyed. This project aims to identify molecular signatures within subjects' blood which reflect the destruction. These markers will help predict diabetes risk, assess severity and response to treatment, as well as define targets for intervention.
Functional Genomic Analysis Of The NKT Cell Control Locus Nkt1 And The Bana3/Babs2 Lupus Susceptibility Locus
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$235,500.00
Summary
The major populations of white blood cells responsible for learned immunity are the B cells, which make antibody against microorganisms like bacteria, and the T cells, which kill virally infected cells and help B cells produce antibody. The T and B cells occasionally attack the body's own tissues, resulting in autoimmune diseases such as lupus, in which antibodies are deposited in the tissues causing inflammation in organs such as the brain, skin and especially the kidneys. Another population of ....The major populations of white blood cells responsible for learned immunity are the B cells, which make antibody against microorganisms like bacteria, and the T cells, which kill virally infected cells and help B cells produce antibody. The T and B cells occasionally attack the body's own tissues, resulting in autoimmune diseases such as lupus, in which antibodies are deposited in the tissues causing inflammation in organs such as the brain, skin and especially the kidneys. Another population of white blood cells, termed NKT cells, plays an important role in keeping the T and B cells in check, and we have found that these cells are deficient in an inbred mouse strain, NOD mice, which develop lupus after exposure to a particular type of bacteria, called mycobacteria. We have found that one of the major genes conferring susceptibility to lupus in these mice lies in the same genetic region as the major gene controlling NKT cell numbers, raising the possibility that the deficiency in NKT cells in this strain predisposes it to developing lupus. The experiments proposed for this project are divided into two groups. The first group test whether increasing NKT cell numbers by either injecting them, or else transferring genes that allow more to develop naturally, can affect the risk of developing lupus. The second group of experiments examine the potential roles of two specific genes which are in the genetic region of interest, and which we think might control both NKT cell numbers and lupus susceptibility. The approach to be used involves sophisticated techniques of genetic analysis, such as the use of mutant mice which carry genetic mutations near the relevant genes, and congenic mice, which are like NOD mice, but carry in addition to NOD genes, genetic regions from a non-autoimmune strain.Read moreRead less
Characterisation Of Polymorphism In HIV-1 Sequence: Investigation Of Viral Escape From HLA-restricted Immune Responses
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$425,250.00
Summary
Although drug therapy has been developed for treatment of HIV infection, there are many aspects of optimal long-term therapy that are problematic. An important reason for this is that HIV disease is different in different individuals, and we believe this is in large part attributable to the way in which the virus can escape an individual's unique immune responses against it. HIV has been shown to escape by mutating and evolving during infection, but the nature and extent to which this occurs in ....Although drug therapy has been developed for treatment of HIV infection, there are many aspects of optimal long-term therapy that are problematic. An important reason for this is that HIV disease is different in different individuals, and we believe this is in large part attributable to the way in which the virus can escape an individual's unique immune responses against it. HIV has been shown to escape by mutating and evolving during infection, but the nature and extent to which this occurs in everyone is not established. This is an important barrier to the design of effective vaccines against HIV. This study uses a novel method to describe the ways that HIV evolves uniquely in every individual, and to determine how this information relates to subsequent disease severity, response to therapy and response to vaccination. This will allow HIV infected patients to have better 'individualised' therapy as well as help in the design of effective vaccines.Read moreRead less