Combining Immune Profiling And Immunotherapy To Tackle Human Cytomegalovirus Infection In Transplant Patients
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$314,644.00
Summary
The proposed research aims to help transplant patients who are at high risk of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, using a treatment called adoptive immunotherapy. I seek to improve the function of patients’ own specialised immune cells (known as T cells) in laboratory and transfer the T cells back into patients, allowing them to better fight the CMV infection. This treatment will improve survival, minimise transplant rejection and reduce the cost associated with anti-viral drugs.
Elucidating The Mechanism Of IL-2 Cytokine/antibody Mediated Transplantation Tolerance
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$624,429.00
Summary
Organ transplantation is a life-saving treatment for end-stage organ failure. However, patients must take immunosuppressive drugs to prevent rejection, a lifetime of which increases the risk of infection and cancer. An alternative to drugs is to manipulate the immune system from within. We discovered a way to boost the immune ‘regulators’ so that they stifle the graft-destroying response. We are optimising this approach with the aim of transplanting organs without long-term immunosuppression.
Investigation Into The Role Of Regulatory B Cells In Transplantation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$400,385.00
Summary
Solid organ transplantation is the most effective therapy for treating organ failure and some cancer. However, a common complication that occurs is graft rejection. The current aim is to develop procedures that reduce the risk of graft rejection without the use of immunosuppressive drugs, which can be toxic and make recipients more susceptible to infection. We are investigating the ability of a cell that is part of the immune system to down-regulate over-reactive immune responses and therefore r ....Solid organ transplantation is the most effective therapy for treating organ failure and some cancer. However, a common complication that occurs is graft rejection. The current aim is to develop procedures that reduce the risk of graft rejection without the use of immunosuppressive drugs, which can be toxic and make recipients more susceptible to infection. We are investigating the ability of a cell that is part of the immune system to down-regulate over-reactive immune responses and therefore reduce rejection.Read moreRead less
Mechanisms Of Regulatory T Cell Induction By Soluble Immunomodulatory Molecules
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$729,414.00
Summary
The purpose of this work is to identify how a select population of cells (T regulatory cells) function to prevent or dampen down the sometimes-harmful effects of the immune system. Understanding how these cells function may have broad implications for general immune regulation.
Multipathogen Adoptive Immunotherapy For Post-transplant Virus-associated Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,074,188.00
Summary
This project is aiming to develop an “off-the-shelf” killer T cell therapy for transplant patients and patients with virus-associated malignancies. This therapy is based on a novel technology developed by our group which allows rapid expansion of killer T cells directed against multiple viruses.
Combining Immune Monitoring And Immunotherapy To Tackle Cytomegalovirus Infections In Solid Organ Transplant Patients
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$801,416.00
Summary
Clinical management of infectious complications in kidney and heart/lung transplant patients remains significant challenge. Although prophylactic/pre-emptive treatment with antiviral drugs have shown dramatic improvements in the control of these infections, long-term treatment with these drugs is associated with significant toxicity, the appearance of drug-resistant virus isolates and significant health cost. In this proposal we will develop novel strategies to identify high risk patients and tr ....Clinical management of infectious complications in kidney and heart/lung transplant patients remains significant challenge. Although prophylactic/pre-emptive treatment with antiviral drugs have shown dramatic improvements in the control of these infections, long-term treatment with these drugs is associated with significant toxicity, the appearance of drug-resistant virus isolates and significant health cost. In this proposal we will develop novel strategies to identify high risk patients and treat these patients with killer T cells.Read moreRead less
Over 10,000 persons per year in Australia are diagnosed with a blood cancer, accounting for 11% of cancer deaths. Stem cell transplantation remains curative therapy for these diseases but is limited by cancer relapse and an immune-mediated process known as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) which account for death of up to 50% of patients. This CRE will integrate centres from Australia and the USA to coordinate new treatments in transplant and cell therapy to improve blood cancer outcomes.
Cytokine Responses Within The GI Tract Dictate T Cell Fate And Transplant Outcome
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,479,579.00
Summary
Over 10,000 persons per year in Australia are diagnosed with a blood cancer, accounting for 10% of cancer deaths. Stem cell transplantation remains curative therapy for these diseases but is limited by a process known as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), responsible for mortality in up to 50% of patients. This project will focus on immune responses within the colon as the critical event initiating lethal GVHD, defining new treatments that will be translated to improve transplant outcomes.
Deciphering Mechanisms Of Liver Allograft Tolerance
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$520,964.00
Summary
The liver has paradoxical properties: it is the site of effective immune responses to pathogens, but under some circumstances, it is known to induce harmless immune responses. Liver transplants are more readily accepted than other organ grafts in the absence of immunosuppressive drugs but little is known about the mechanisms that prevent an effective response. This proposal aims to unravel these mechanisms. This project will have important implications for transplantation studies.