Improving The Understanding And Management Of Children Hospitalised With Bronchiolitis In Northern Australia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$69,506.00
Summary
Acute bronchiolitis remains one of the most common serious lower respiratory tract infections. Children can be treated effectively at home; however many require hospitalisation and current treatment is essentially supportive with oxygen and fluid therapy. In Indigenous settings where high colonisation of bacteria and burden of respiratory disease exist, antibiotics such as azithromcyin may provide clinical improvement in the short term outcomes for those children hospitalised with bronchiolitis.
Dengue Host-cell Signalling Interactions: Novel Insights And Interventions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$124,676.00
Summary
Dengue is a virus transmitted by mosquitoes that occurs in many tropical and subtropical regions. Approximately 40% of the world's population is at risk of this infection. Sometimes it can be mild but it can lead to severe illness and death especially with second infections. The body produces a response that over-reacts to the virus in these severe infections. The project aims to understand why the body does this and what parts of the immune system are affected using a model in mice.
Where It All Begins- Exploring Dendritic Cell Control Of Viral Infection And Cell Development In The Bone Marrow Of Mice And Man.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$96,335.00
Summary
The bone marrow (bm) is the birthplace of all blood cells that fight infection in the body. Dendritic cells (DC), essential for starting immune responses, are found in the bm but the exact types and their functions are unknown. I plan to investigate the DC types that reside in the bm and explore their role in inducing immune responses and in influencing the development of cells from the bm with potential attributable benefits for stem cell transplant and vaccine design.
Parasitic and viral infections involving the retina are serious eye conditions that are poorly understood and lack effective treatments. My PhD studies will focus on how human retinal cells fight infections caused by the Toxoplasma parasite, and dengue and Ebola viruses. The results of my investigations will inform the development of better treatments for these blinding eye diseases.
Transcriptional Control Of Peripheral T Cell Differentiation During Pathogen Infection And Autoimmunity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$92,314.00
Summary
White blood cells, specifically helper and killer T cells, play an important role in fighting infection. They are tightly regulated and if not properly controlled can lead to aggressive autoimmune diseases such as diabetes and multiple sclerosis. My studies will elucidate the mechanisms behind the regulation of T cells at steady-state and during disease. Insights gained from this project will have implications for the design of new approaches to combat infectious and autoimmune diseases.
Investigating The Function Of Natural Killer Cells During Immunological Responses Following Human Lung Transplantation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$71,766.00
Summary
The immune system is critical in controlling common viral infections in healthy individuals. When transplanting foreign solid organs into patients with end-stage lung disease the immune systemÍs activity is decreased via the immunosuppressive drugs to enable graft acceptance. In some patients the immune response can detect similarities between previously encountered viruses and the foreign organ, leading to life-threatening health problems through either rejection episodes and/or graft loss.
Investigating The Role Of TGF-beta In Resident Memory T Cell Induction And Maintenance
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$92,495.00
Summary
I am a research scientist interested in the immune system. Specifically, I intend to investigate immunological memory, which is the basis of vaccination. This refers to the ability of certain immune cells such as T and B cells to ‘remember’ a pathogen, so that a rapid and enhanced response can be generated upon re-infection with the same pathogen. This can be investigated by experimental techniques such as flow cytometry, histology and confocal microscopy on cells from infected mouse tissue.