Studies On The Role Of The P101 Component Of The Class 1B PI 3-Kinase In Cell Migration And Activation.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$457,267.00
Summary
This research will determine the biological role of a protein of unknown function that is likely to participate in movement of white blood cells through the body. The outcome of this research will increase our basic knowledge of how the immune system functions and could lead to alternate therapeutic strategies for the control of autoimmune diseases.
Controlling Life And Death Of Dendritic Cell Subsets For Immunomodulation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$639,577.00
Summary
Dendritic cells are pivotal in orchestrating immune responses; for example, they can turn immune cells into assassins to kill virus infections. Their function is so diverse that different dendritic cells do different jobs. There are many genes that control life and death of cells but those that are important for each specialised dendritic cell have not been comprehensively studied. Drugs that affect the proteins made by such genes selectively may be a new way of controlling immune responses.
The Cell Death Mechanisms That Control Regulatory T Cell Homeostasis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$583,782.00
Summary
A central question in immunology is how to prevent destructive immune responses (e.g. autoimmune disease) and initiate productive immune responses (e.g. against cancer). A major breakthrough in this area was the discovery of special immune cells, called a Regulatory T Cells. We propose to discover the genes that determine whether these cells live and die. We will use this information to control appropriate numbers and function of Regulatory T Cells to modify the immune system.
Determining The Structure Of A Soluble Cytokine Receptor Complex
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$509,017.00
Summary
There is a pressing need to develop improved therapeutics to treat many forms of cancer and respiratory diseases. This proposal concerns the biochemical investigation of a group of protein hormones and their associated receptors that are implicated in blood cell cancers and for which current treatments are only partly effective . Our work will focus on determining the 3-dimensional shape and function of this group of proteins in complex with one another which will provide us with an understandin ....There is a pressing need to develop improved therapeutics to treat many forms of cancer and respiratory diseases. This proposal concerns the biochemical investigation of a group of protein hormones and their associated receptors that are implicated in blood cell cancers and for which current treatments are only partly effective . Our work will focus on determining the 3-dimensional shape and function of this group of proteins in complex with one another which will provide us with an understanding of how these proteins communicate with one another. This information may provide a basis for the design of new drugs that can specifically block the activity of these protein hormones, thereby providing new treatment possibilities for these blood cell cancers.Read moreRead less
Reversing Autoimmune Diabetes By Controlling Pathogenic Effector T-cells
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$408,662.00
Summary
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) results from misdirected immune responses that destroy insulin-producing pancreatic cells. The ultimate goal of therapeutic strategies is to remove or inactivate the cells that attack insulin-producing cells, while leaving other cells, for example, those required for protection from infectious diseases and tumours, unaffected. Here we propose to test a new way of turning off the inappropriate immune reaction with the goal of preventing type 1 diabetes.
Regulation Of T Cell Effector Function In Peripheral Tissues
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$698,550.00
Summary
Protection from infections relies on different types of immune cells. While some of these cells are found in the blood, others reside in peripheral tissues such as the skin. We will analyse the function of these peripheral immune cells to understand how they work to fight off infections. We will also investigate how so-called memory cells that permanently reside in peripheral tissues can protect from re-infection with similar bacteria or viruses.
The Molecular And Cellular Trajectories Of Clonal Dendritic Cell Development
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$826,742.00
Summary
Dendritic cells (DCs) are a blood cell type with a crucial role in our immune system. They are made in the bone marrow from stem and progenitor cells. How each of these cells individually makes DCs is complex and dynamic. We seek to understand this using cutting edge technologies to track each cell’s step-by-step role in this important process. This knowledge may help the use of DCs in the treatment of several diseases including autoimmunity and cancer.