Prof Mackay, through this Australia Fellowship, proposes to gain new knowledge on immune responses, by exploring these radical new ideas on inflammation and the role of diet and gastro-intestinal microflora. In addition, he hopes to develop new treatments for human diseases, by integrating new and powerful technologies and approaches for the generation of bio-therapeutics. Finally, genetically engineered mice will be pivotal in this process, and will enable the discovery of a new generation of m ....Prof Mackay, through this Australia Fellowship, proposes to gain new knowledge on immune responses, by exploring these radical new ideas on inflammation and the role of diet and gastro-intestinal microflora. In addition, he hopes to develop new treatments for human diseases, by integrating new and powerful technologies and approaches for the generation of bio-therapeutics. Finally, genetically engineered mice will be pivotal in this process, and will enable the discovery of a new generation of medicines not possible a couple of years ago. The Australia Fellowship will draw on considerable cross-discipline interactions, to produce powerful new directions in medical research. For instance, there is considerable evidence, but poor understanding, of how the immune system is regulated by metabolism or the role of stem cells in tissue remodelling associated with inflammation, or the delicate interplay between the immune system and cancers.Read moreRead less
I am an immunologist determining how the immune system is regulated, with the aim of preventing diseases such as asthma, type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis caused by dysregulated immune responses.
Convergence of biomaterials and immunology: a technology platform for delayed burst release of vaccines. A large challenge in vaccination, particularly in wildlife such as for the growing problem of Chlamydia in koalas, is to provide the necessary booster shots. This project will develop implants that will be inserted under the skin at the time of the first shot, and will spontaneously burst later to release the booster shot to provide protection.
Understanding T cell immunity induced by infection. We aim to understand how killer T cells are “programmed” upon activation and acquire their characteristic functions and how these are maintained into immunological memory. This proposal will provide insights important for the design and improvement of vaccine strategies to fight pathogens such as influenza, HIV and even tumors.
Atypical T cell receptor recognition of monomorphic CD1 antigen-presenting molecule. T lymphocytes are white blood cells that respond to foreign molecules (antigens). Until recently, most known antigens were proteins. This project will study how T lymphocytes recognise a different class of antigen (glycolipids) that are likely to play an equally important role in the immune system.
Gamma delta T cells specific for glycolipid antigens. Gamma delta T cells are an enigmatic component of the immune system that use a unique class of cell surface receptors (gamma delta T cell receptors). Despite having been discovered 30 years ago, very little is known about what these cells recognise and respond to, and therefore what is their function. A population of gamma delta T cells that respond via their T cell receptor to particular forms of lipid molecules presented by an antigen prese ....Gamma delta T cells specific for glycolipid antigens. Gamma delta T cells are an enigmatic component of the immune system that use a unique class of cell surface receptors (gamma delta T cell receptors). Despite having been discovered 30 years ago, very little is known about what these cells recognise and respond to, and therefore what is their function. A population of gamma delta T cells that respond via their T cell receptor to particular forms of lipid molecules presented by an antigen presenting molecule, CD1d has been identified. The aim of this project is to isolate these T cell receptors and investigate the interaction at the molecular level in order to understand the parameters that trigger activation of these cells. This will provide fundamental insight into a key component of the immune system.Read moreRead less
The epigenetic blueprint for T cell differentiation: a genomic view. A cardinal feature of adaptive immune cell activation is the initiation of a program of differentiation that results in acquisition and long term maintenance of lineage-speci?c effector function. This proposal aims to map and dissect genome wide molecular changes that occur at different stages of immune cell differentiation and identify key factors that regulating these changes. It is expected that distinct genomic signatures, ....The epigenetic blueprint for T cell differentiation: a genomic view. A cardinal feature of adaptive immune cell activation is the initiation of a program of differentiation that results in acquisition and long term maintenance of lineage-speci?c effector function. This proposal aims to map and dissect genome wide molecular changes that occur at different stages of immune cell differentiation and identify key factors that regulating these changes. It is expected that distinct genomic signatures, and the mechanisms indicative of effective immune cell differentiation will be identified. This proposal will provide insights into key mechanisms that result in reprogramming of immune cell function and memory and have implications for understanding general cellular differentiation.Read moreRead less
An investigation into the basis of the T-cell mediated adaptive immune response. Understanding the adaptive immune response to human pathogens is critically important to develop strategies to combat infection. This project will provide a better understanding of how T cells combat viral infection, and will lead to fundamental advances in our understanding of viral immunity and the development of novel immunotherapeutic strategies.