Investigation of the resilience of immune memory to manipulation by pathogens. Vaccines have a major impact on the wellbeing of humans as well as productivity and welfare of veterinary species and pets. New vaccines have therefore a tremendous effect on both the economy and the community. Here we investigate in how far an adjuvanted vaccine can influence the type of immune response induced during subsequent infection when the pathogen has developed mechanisms to subvert the induced protective im ....Investigation of the resilience of immune memory to manipulation by pathogens. Vaccines have a major impact on the wellbeing of humans as well as productivity and welfare of veterinary species and pets. New vaccines have therefore a tremendous effect on both the economy and the community. Here we investigate in how far an adjuvanted vaccine can influence the type of immune response induced during subsequent infection when the pathogen has developed mechanisms to subvert the induced protective immune response. This question has profound implications for all vaccine and adjuvant development activities, as the resilience of immune memory is not yet considered an important parameter in the design of adjuvants yet it is fundamental to the successful of vaccines against many pathogens.Read moreRead less
Development of novel vaccine delivery systems for induction of mucosal immunity in a large animal model. The induction of mucosal immune responses is a highly desirable goal in vaccine research and development, as it prevents entry of the large number of mucosal pathogens. This proposal aims to develop new mucosal vaccine delivery systems by combining intra-nasal, intra-lung and transcutaneous vaccine delivery with ISCOM-based adjuvants. The nature of the immune response will be analysed in real ....Development of novel vaccine delivery systems for induction of mucosal immunity in a large animal model. The induction of mucosal immune responses is a highly desirable goal in vaccine research and development, as it prevents entry of the large number of mucosal pathogens. This proposal aims to develop new mucosal vaccine delivery systems by combining intra-nasal, intra-lung and transcutaneous vaccine delivery with ISCOM-based adjuvants. The nature of the immune response will be analysed in real time using a sheep cannulation model. Subsequently, the efficacy of mucosal vaccination strategies will be tested in a chlamydia infection model.Read moreRead less
Enhancing immunogenicity of DNA vaccines by targeted delivery to antigen presenting cells. Vaccines have proven to be one of the most effective means of preventing infection and also provide promise as a treatment for cancer. However, the range of effective technologies that make possible the delivery of vaccines that can protect against a broad range of infections is limited. DNA based vaccines are attractive because they are relatively easy to produce against a wide range of infections. Howeve ....Enhancing immunogenicity of DNA vaccines by targeted delivery to antigen presenting cells. Vaccines have proven to be one of the most effective means of preventing infection and also provide promise as a treatment for cancer. However, the range of effective technologies that make possible the delivery of vaccines that can protect against a broad range of infections is limited. DNA based vaccines are attractive because they are relatively easy to produce against a wide range of infections. However, DNA vaccines often provide poor protection against infections. This project will explore a unique technology developed in Australia and that will greatly improve the effectiveness of DNA vaccines against a broad range of diseases. Read moreRead less
The role of a novel protein, interferon epsilon, in reproductive tract immunity. This project aims to develop a world-first description of a new protein that has a protective role against female reproductive tract infections. This unique protein, called interferon epsilon, was discovered in our laboratory. This project will facilitate development of new therapeutic approaches of benefit in diseases such as Chlamydia and Herpes Simplex Virus.
Elucidating the post-transcriptional regulation of mast cell proteases. Mast cells (MCs) are immune cells that protect against pathogens but may induce deleterious inflammation. MC function is mediated by specific proteases that are pre-formed and stored in granules. These proteases have unique yet poorly understood mechanisms of regulation. The aim of the project is to use a novel suite of molecular tools and genetically modified mice to identify the critical regions of transcripts that post-tr ....Elucidating the post-transcriptional regulation of mast cell proteases. Mast cells (MCs) are immune cells that protect against pathogens but may induce deleterious inflammation. MC function is mediated by specific proteases that are pre-formed and stored in granules. These proteases have unique yet poorly understood mechanisms of regulation. The aim of the project is to use a novel suite of molecular tools and genetically modified mice to identify the critical regions of transcripts that post-transcriptionally regulate the production and storage of these proteins. The project aims to identify the RNA binding proteins, microRNAs and other novel factors that also regulate them. This is expected to elucidate the post-transcriptional mechanisms of regulation of MC proteases.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100398
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$410,507.00
Summary
How T cells modulate stem cells and tissue regeneration. The project aims to determine how T cells modulate tissue repair and regeneration in mammals. Most of the mechanisms modulating the healing of tissues are elusive. This research is expected to reveal unknown mechanisms controlling the processes of tissue repair and regeneration, particularly the nexus between the stem cells involved in the tissue healing process and the immune response .