Phagocytic Clearance And Immune Activation In Malaria
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$564,644.00
Summary
Macrophage white blood cells clear malaria infected cells by eating them, by three routes- by recognising ANTIBODIES or COMPLEMENT on the cell surface, or by the cell BINDING directly to the macrophage. Each has different results, such as amounts of cytokines produced. Cytokines clear malaria; in excess they can cause fatal immune pathology. We will investigate how variations in amount of antibody and complement and route of uptake of malaria infected cells might determine malaria outcome.
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.
Pathophysiology Of Malaria-associated Lung Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$422,517.00
Summary
About 2 million people die each year from complications of malaria infection. A frequent, life-threatening complication of severe malaria is lung oedema. There is no specific treatment for the lung complications, which are poorly understood. There has been until now no good model system to study malaria lung complications. We have developed in mice an experimental model of malaria specifically to determine the mechanisms that cause lung pathology, which has never been done before. Such experimen ....About 2 million people die each year from complications of malaria infection. A frequent, life-threatening complication of severe malaria is lung oedema. There is no specific treatment for the lung complications, which are poorly understood. There has been until now no good model system to study malaria lung complications. We have developed in mice an experimental model of malaria specifically to determine the mechanisms that cause lung pathology, which has never been done before. Such experiments cannot be performed in humans for ethical and logistical reasons. We believe that pulmonary oedema is caused by products of the immune system and we will rigorously test this idea in our study. The aim is to learn more about the processes occurring in this disease so as to devise new treatment strategies.Read moreRead less