Costimulatory Mechanisms For Enhancing CD8 T Cell Responses During An Acute Respiratory Infection
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$438,750.00
Summary
Following an infection, a person's immune system responds to fight the pathogen. One of the most important consequences of the immune response to an infectious disease is the establishment of memory to that particular disease so that a person is able to clear the same pathogen faster upon subsequent exposures. This memory is due to specific cells called memory lymphocytes. One subset of these cells are called CD8+ T cells and these are important for controlling and clearing viral infections. New ....Following an infection, a person's immune system responds to fight the pathogen. One of the most important consequences of the immune response to an infectious disease is the establishment of memory to that particular disease so that a person is able to clear the same pathogen faster upon subsequent exposures. This memory is due to specific cells called memory lymphocytes. One subset of these cells are called CD8+ T cells and these are important for controlling and clearing viral infections. New vaccine strategies are aimed at improving CD8 T cell responses so that they are more effective at fighting diseases such as HIV which causes AIDS and Hepatitis C virus. The mechanisms which lead to long lived memory CD8 T cells are not well understood. This research will characterise the function of genes involved in activating CD8 T cells and producing more memory CD8 T cells. The influenza model will be used as it is a well characterised model for studying anti-viral immunity. This project involved studying the mechansims of known genes involved in CD8 T cell responses to influenza. Also the discovery of new genes which are involved in CD8 T cell memory will be identified and characterised using new novel technologies, such as ENU mutagenesis, that only now are able to be utilised since the mouse genome (DNA) has been sequenced. This research will provide a basis for design of new and more effective vaccines.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.
Using A Novel Assay That Detects Antigen Specific CD4+ And Regulatory T Cells To Further Understand Reconstitution Of Antigen Specific Immune Response Post Anti-retroviral Therapy In Subjects With HIV And In The Diagnosis Of Latent TB
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$102,780.00
Summary
The process by which the immune system recovers after commencement of therapy for HIV is not well understood. We will use a new test to monitor the immune system's ability to recognise and react to different antigens inorder to understand the factors that affect immune recovery in patients on therapy for HIV. We will also evaluate the use of this new test in the diagnosis of latent TB. Improvement in detection will lead to treatment of latent TB thus reduction of cases of active TB.
Characterization Of H. Pylori –specific CD4 T Cell Responses And The Evaluation Of The Basic Requirements For The Development Of An Effective Anti-H. Pylori Vaccine
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$313,161.00
Summary
H. pylori infect over half of the global population. Although infection results in asymptomatic gastritis in most cases 10 % develop gastric ulcers and cancer. Current vaccination strategies have failed to protect humans from infection. We aim to characterise the main immune cells involved in H. pylori infection, specifically the bacteria-specific CD4 T cells. We will then try to understand the basic requirements for a successful vaccine in order to develop new, improved anti-H. pylori vaccines.
I am an immunologist focusing on understanding how can we combat chronic infections while preventing autoimmunity. This proposal aims to investigate how a poorly understood subset of lymphocytes called Tfh cells are regulated to promote the formation of protective antibodies, and prevent development of harmful antibodies that go on to cause or exacerbate diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes. Our discoveries will illuminate novel drug targets for these diseases and hel ....I am an immunologist focusing on understanding how can we combat chronic infections while preventing autoimmunity. This proposal aims to investigate how a poorly understood subset of lymphocytes called Tfh cells are regulated to promote the formation of protective antibodies, and prevent development of harmful antibodies that go on to cause or exacerbate diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes. Our discoveries will illuminate novel drug targets for these diseases and help generate more potent vaccines.Read moreRead less
Multiple Paths Of TFH Differentiation And Their Impact On B Cell Protection Against Infection
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$923,466.00
Summary
Collaboration between T and B cells is crucial for immune protection and underpins current vaccine strategies. We have revealed an unappreciated flexibility that exists in T cell responses which varies the instructions they give B cells. It is likely this tailors immune responses to ensure protection to countless infectious diseases. This project uses cutting-edge technologies to understand this flexibility and has important implications for vaccine design and treatment of infectious disease.
Structural And Functional Studies Of T-cell Mediated Recognition Of Microbial Lipids Presented By CD1c
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$316,449.00
Summary
The CD1c molecule plays an important role in the immune system by presenting lipid-based antigen of pathogens to the surface of an antigen presenting cell (APC) that is infected by the pathogen. Once a T cell receptor (TCR), which is expressed on the surface of a Killer T cell, recognises CD1c presenting pathogenic lipid, any infected cells will be destroyed. My research will look at the molecular mechanism of T cell recognising tuberculosis related lipids that is presented by CD1c.
The Phenotype Of Protective Cytotoxic T Cell Responses During Viral Infections
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$841,114.00
Summary
T cell responses are important to establish protection against pathogens and some cancer via generation of memory cells that can be maintained long term and defeat promptly re-infections. This proposal aim at determining important factors that drive the success of immunological memory by employing single cell technologies and unique longitudinal samples from subjects infected with hepatitis C virus. The finding of this study will inform current vaccine research and immunotherapies.
Defining The Roles Of The Chemotactic Receptor EBI2 For The Regulation Of Leukocyte Migration And The Generation Of Immunity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$421,747.00
Summary
The proposed study aims at improving our understanding of the role of the immune cell receptor Epstein-Barr virus-induced gene 2 (EBI2) in guiding the movement of white blood cells during immune responses. The project will investigate the function of EBI2 in the control of infectious diseases and its regulation on human immune cells. These insights have the potential to create new therapeutic approaches to treat human autoimmune and inflammatory diseases and improve vaccine design.