Professor Godfrey is an immunologist with a long standing history as a pioneer in the study of a specialised type of white blood cell, known as NKT cells. NKT cells are activated in response to lipid-based molecules that are thought to alert the immune system, via NKT cell activation, to the presence of infectious agents or other abnormalities. A better understanding of how NKT cells function will provide new approaches to battling a broad range of diseases where these cells are implicated, incl ....Professor Godfrey is an immunologist with a long standing history as a pioneer in the study of a specialised type of white blood cell, known as NKT cells. NKT cells are activated in response to lipid-based molecules that are thought to alert the immune system, via NKT cell activation, to the presence of infectious agents or other abnormalities. A better understanding of how NKT cells function will provide new approaches to battling a broad range of diseases where these cells are implicated, including cancer, autoimmunity, allergy and infection.Read moreRead less
Understanding the immune response is proving extremely complex and promising results for disease treatments from animal models are often difficult to translate to new clinical therapies. My research is unearthing weaknesses in our current knowledge of the immune system and seeking to replace them with a foundation that can exploit new developments in computer modelling and systems biology. In this way I aim to rationally manipulate the immune response.
Understanding Immune Regulation During Parasitic Diseases.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$631,010.00
Summary
Chronic infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and leishmaniasis are responsible for significant morbidity and mortality. They are all characterised by severe immune dysfunction. We will study a parasitic infection to identify important immune cell populations and molecules that promote chronic infectious disease. This knowledge will enable the development of better treatments and vaccines for range of infectious diseases that affect people in many parts of the world.
This application will increase the impact of cancer immunotherapy on disease prevention and treatment, by developing new targets and novel combination immunotherapies. Outcomes will include an improved understanding of the immune reaction with cancer and more effective strategies to prevent cancer spread and safely target and eradicate a larger proportion of established and advanced malignant disease.
Defining The Requirements For Effective Immune Responses
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$714,745.00
Summary
The immune system rapidly responds to infectious pathogens to eradicate such microbes and limit the damage they can inflict upon the host. Individuals with primary immunodeficiencies have defects in the development and/or function of the cells of their immune system and are more susceptible to infectious diseases. This study will investigate such individuals to identify functions for specific genes and immune cells in order to understand the requirements for generating effective immune responses ....The immune system rapidly responds to infectious pathogens to eradicate such microbes and limit the damage they can inflict upon the host. Individuals with primary immunodeficiencies have defects in the development and/or function of the cells of their immune system and are more susceptible to infectious diseases. This study will investigate such individuals to identify functions for specific genes and immune cells in order to understand the requirements for generating effective immune responses.Read moreRead less
The development of protective immunity is essential to fight infection. This depends on a small number of master regulatory transcription factors that drive the differentiation of precursor cells into mature immune cells such as NK, T and dendritic cells. This proposal will provide a fundamental advance in our understanding of immune cells and impact strategies aimed at the prevention and treatment of pathogen infections.
Delineating Immune Circuits For Innate And Adaptive Immune Protection
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$876,005.00
Summary
The immune system provides the essential frame-work to protect us against infection, disease and to heal tissues after trauma. This is achieved by a complex but elegant network of different types of white blood cells. Understanding the molecular wiring of these cells will provides fundamental insights to how the body fights pathogen infections and cancer and lays the foundation to therapeutic approaches to vaccination and disease treatments.
Immunoregulation, Innate And Adaptive Immunity, Viral Immunology, Ocular Immunology, Immunotherapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$880,454.00
Summary
The focus on our research is to understand how the immune system responds to viral challenges and how viruses attempt to counteract immune responses. We focus on systemic disease, as well as disease that involve the eye. Understanding how immune responses are regulated will allows us to develop improved therapies
My research is directed to the prevention of diabetes, across the spectrum from type 1 to type 2 diabetes. It is based on understanding immune-inflammatory mechanisms that contribute to dysfunction and death of pancreatic insulin-secreting beta cells and tissue resistance to the action of insulin. I study these mechanisms in rodent models and in humans in the context of relevant environmental factors and genes, with the aim of manipulating them for therapeutic benefit.
MicroRNA Pathway Control Of Immune Cell Development
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$631,370.00
Summary
The immune system is comprised of many different cell types, each with a specialised function. Many are short-lived and must be continually replenished throughout life. Abnormalities in this process underlie many human diseases, including immunodeficiency, autoimmunity and cancer. My laboratory seeks to understand the molecular pathways that control development of immune cells and to identify the defects that lead to disease.