Harnessing Tyrosine Metabolism To Combat Respiratory Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$866,467.00
Summary
Cross-talk between our immune system and the microbiome is central to health and disease. In particular, the gut microbiome has wide-ranging effects throughout the body, in part through the production of metabolites with immunomodulatory activity. We have discovered a novel subset of microbial metabolites which can protect mice against allergic airway inflammation, a model of asthma. We now aim to discovery how these metabolites work with a view towards developing them as therapeutics.
THE IMMUNOLOGICAL LEGACY OF OBESITY ON VIRAL PATHOGENESIS
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$652,275.00
Summary
Obesity is a key risk factor for severe viral infections. Our preliminary data suggest that in mice this susceptibility is not reduced by weight loss. In this grant we will investigate a) the mechanisms driving the legacy effect of obesity on antiviral immunity b) whether or not we can reverse this legacy effect by treatment with the drug MCC950 and c) the antiviral response of overweight children and adults who have and haven't recently lost weight.