Dissecting Mechanisms Of Generalised Immune Activation And Cellular Dysfunction In HIV Infection
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$422,576.00
Summary
How HIV infection compromises the host immune system is still not well understood. We will study how HIV surface proteins contribute to heightened immune activation during chronic infection. This generalised activation eventually leads to dysfunctional cellular immune responses and loss of partial control of infection. We will additionally investigate the extent and impact of the loss of functional immune responses in chronic HIV infection.
Modulation Of HIV-1 Specific T Cell Function By Toll-like Receptor Ligands
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$214,584.00
Summary
Toll-like receptors (TLR) are highly conserved molecules which allow cells to recognize foreign materials. Factors that bind to these TLRs are called ligands. Ligands that activate or suppress TLR may play a crucial role in influencing how the immune system recognizes and controls HIV. A better understanding of the mechanisms by which TLR ligands, including components of HIV-1, modulate T cell function will open up new avenues for the design of immunotherapeutic interventions and vaccines.
A Novel RNA Repressor Element Regulates HIV-1 Replication
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$341,453.00
Summary
HIV-1 causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, with up to 40 million infected people and 5 million infected annually. The spatio-temporal regulation of HIV-1 reverse transcription has recently been recognised as a possible new drug target. Our research has revealed a novel repressor of reverse transcripiton (RRT). The RRT plays a major role in regulating the spatio-temporal regulation of reverse transcripiton. Targetting the RRT function would be a novel means to combat HIV-1 infection.
HIV Risks And Points Of Intervention For Chinas Internal Migrants In The Export Processing Zones Of Guangdong.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$367,239.00
Summary
The project seeks to explore the HIV risks of internal migrants working in the Zhu Jiang Delta, China’s most significant ‘export processing zone’. As China’s economic boom is built upon the backbones of internal migrants, HIV-AIDS has the potential to cause a public health crisis with a devastating economic impact. Using a multi-method approach the risks and approaches to mitigating the risks will be explored in this vulnerable population.