Regulation Of T Cell Effector Function In Peripheral Tissues
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$698,550.00
Summary
Protection from infections relies on different types of immune cells. While some of these cells are found in the blood, others reside in peripheral tissues such as the skin. We will analyse the function of these peripheral immune cells to understand how they work to fight off infections. We will also investigate how so-called memory cells that permanently reside in peripheral tissues can protect from re-infection with similar bacteria or viruses.
Identifying The Ontogeny And Fate Of T Follicular Helper Cells By Two-photon Photoconversion
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$623,070.00
Summary
The aim of this proposal is to investigate immune cells called T follicular helper cells using a novel microscopy-based method that we have developed. This method lets us ‘tag’ these cells in a way that enables us to distinguish them from all other cells and follow them as they migrate to different immunological compartments during the response. T follicular helper cells are important for protective immune responses against pathogens and a better understanding of this T cell subset will aid vacc ....The aim of this proposal is to investigate immune cells called T follicular helper cells using a novel microscopy-based method that we have developed. This method lets us ‘tag’ these cells in a way that enables us to distinguish them from all other cells and follow them as they migrate to different immunological compartments during the response. T follicular helper cells are important for protective immune responses against pathogens and a better understanding of this T cell subset will aid vaccine design.Read moreRead less
Characterisation And Development Of Type-2 NKT Cells
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$853,885.00
Summary
Humans defend themselves from foreign pathogens by mounting a protective immune response. Type-2 NKT cells recognise foreign lipid molecules and play a key role in immunity. This project is designed to understand to how Type-2 NKT cells develop within the body, how they recognise lipid molecules and how they carry out their immune functions. This work will have important implications in understanding the role of NKT cells in human health and disease.
Molecular And Cellular Control Of Human Th9 Cell Differentiation In Health And Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$550,888.00
Summary
T helper 9 (Th9) cells are a recently defined population of CD4+ T cells that have been implicated in immunological disorders ranging from allergy, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, and cancer, to host defence against fungal and parasitic infections. As such, Th9 cells are extremely important to human health and disease. This project aims to define the mechanisms involved in the generation, regulation and function of human Th9 cells.
The Impact Of Micropolymorphism Within The T Cell Receptor Genes And Their Target Antigenic Peptides
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$365,126.00
Summary
T lymphocytes play a pivotal role in the immune system by recognising virus-infected tissue through the use of highly specific T cell receptors (TCRs). This project will investigate the importance of genetic variation in the TCR genes in influencing how we fight infections. Another aim is to examine how the immune system tolerates genetic variation in an infecting virus. Advances in these areas will aid in the development of new "intelligent" vaccines.
The Mezzanine T Cell Response: Intervening At The Coal Face
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$765,585.00
Summary
In an initial immune response, specialised cells in lymph nodes tell T cells to multiply; the stimulated T cells depart and enter target tissue (e.g. lung in the case of flu). We describe a new response whereby the target tissue itself can tell T cells to multiply further. This response in target tissues reveals a new way of altering immune responses. This is especially important as in many diseases, the primary lymph node response has already occurred, so cannot be therapeutically intervened.
Following The T Cell Repertoire Over The Human Life Course
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$473,159.00
Summary
T cells are critical to human health being our second and last line against infectious disease and cancer. However, we know very little about how this important immune compartment operates on a top-down scale. This project will use new technology to resolve this immune compartment to high detail. We will then use this new method to track the T cell compartment from the first years of life and across years of adult life to see how this vital immune compartment evolves along the human life course.
We have identified a population of immune cells called ‘resident memory T cells’ that reside in tissues of the body. These resident memory T cells play an important role in controlling infections, but it is also apparent that they can lead to aberrant immune reactions, causing autoimmune diseases. This project aims to further our understanding of these immune cells, including how they can be identified and generated, and how they can be controlled to prevent disease.
The Role Of Kdm1a In Epigenetic Regulation Of Virus-specific T Cell Differentiation.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$510,982.00
Summary
Recovery from infection, or vaccination, results in the establishment of protective immunity that persists for the life of an individual. Unfortunately, our understanding of how protective immunity is established and maintained after infection or vaccination is lacking. This proposal will determine whether specific enzymes involved in rewriting the genetic blueprint are key for establishing and maintaining this protective capacity. Understanding these mechanisms has implications for vaccination ....Recovery from infection, or vaccination, results in the establishment of protective immunity that persists for the life of an individual. Unfortunately, our understanding of how protective immunity is established and maintained after infection or vaccination is lacking. This proposal will determine whether specific enzymes involved in rewriting the genetic blueprint are key for establishing and maintaining this protective capacity. Understanding these mechanisms has implications for vaccination and improved immunotherapy strategies for cancer.Read moreRead less
Subset Determination Of Tissue-Resident T Cell Memory
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$473,394.00
Summary
Immunity relies on white blood cells called T cells that circulate around the body and which are also found permanently lodged at body surfaces. It is non-circulating T cells that are the most important in protecting against infection. In this application we propose to show that only a subset of T cells can form the resident population and to identify the molecules that determine T cell residency. This information can then be used for the efficient construction of disease preventing vaccines.