Functional Dyspepsia: Characterisation Of The Immunopathology And Testing A Novel Therapeutic Strategy.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$739,604.00
Summary
Dyspepsia, unexplained stomach discomfort and pain, is a common and costly problem; few effective treatments exist and the causes are unknown. We have found that the numbers of a type of immune cell, the eosinophil, are increased in the top of the small bowel in patients with dyspepsia. This study will explore the mechanisms that lead to increased eosinophils and then test the effectiveness of a treatment to suppress this overactive immune response which could rapidly change clinical practice.
Tuberculosis is one of the most threatening infectious diseases worldwide due to the low efficiency of the only licensed anti-tuberculosis vaccine, BCG. This project aims to interrogate two previously neglected immune mechanisms and their potential to enhance vaccine-induced immunity by incorporating these mechanisms into new genetically modified BCG strains. We will also investigate alternative BCG vaccination routes to generate long-lived immune cells that can rapidly control the infection.
A Novel Role For The IL-2 Pathway In Type-1-diabetes.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$548,548.00
Summary
Genes encoding IL-2 and its receptor are strongly linked to susceptibility to multiple autoimmune diseases, including type-1-diabetes. Despite the importance of this pathway in the immune system, it is not yet understood how the associated genes affect disease. In this study, a novel function for IL-2 expression by dendritic cells in normal self-tolerance is investigated. The impacts of dendritic cell produced IL-2 expression and linkage to autoimmunity will be elucidated in both mouse and man.
Integrating Immunity And Genetics In Follicular Lymphoma To Establish A Prognostic Score Fit For The Modern Era
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,377,174.00
Summary
Follicular lymphoma (FL) is divided into early and advanced stages. Early stage FL is frequently cured, but there is no way to identify who will be cured and who won't. By contrast advanced stage FL is incurable. Our unique access to well-annotated clinical trial and population based cohorts allows us to perform a detailed biological comparison of early and advanced FL, to gain a deeper understanding of the impediments to eradicating the disease, and to predict outcome to conventional therapy.
Generation Of Protective Immunity Against Severe Influenza Disease In Indigenous Australians
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,630,970.00
Summary
Hospitalisation and death rates from influenza are high in the Indigenous population, especially when a new virus emerges. There is an urgent need for a vaccine that protects against all influenza strains. T cells recognising conserved viral regions elicit such protection. As T cells are restricted by proteins called HLAs, which vary across ethnicities, we will define T cell regions for HLAs prominent in Indigenous Australians and define how to generate protective immunity against influenza.
Understanding Influenza-specific T Cell Immunity In The Indigenous Population
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$870,112.00
Summary
Hospitalisation and death rates from influenza are high in the Indigenous population. There is an urgent need for one-shot universal vaccine that protects against seasonal and pandemic strains. T cells recognising conserved viral regions can elicit such protection. As T cells are restricted by proteins called HLAs, variable between different ethnicities, we will define T cell regions and their HLA restrictions in the Indigenous population to propose strategies for universal T cell-based protecti ....Hospitalisation and death rates from influenza are high in the Indigenous population. There is an urgent need for one-shot universal vaccine that protects against seasonal and pandemic strains. T cells recognising conserved viral regions can elicit such protection. As T cells are restricted by proteins called HLAs, variable between different ethnicities, we will define T cell regions and their HLA restrictions in the Indigenous population to propose strategies for universal T cell-based protective immunity and vaccine design against influenza.Read moreRead less
During injury or infection, our body’s immune system protects us by launching inflammation. But uncontrolled inflammation drives common diseases such as cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s. This project will reveal how the body produces interleukin-1? – a protein at the heart of inflammation and disease – so we can design better strategies for treating patients with inflammation-driven disease.
Arbovirus Activation And Modulation Of NLRP3 Inflammasome
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$779,720.00
Summary
This project aims to establish how mosquito borne viruses such as Ross River and dengue viruses interacts with the human host to cause disease, including how the virus evades the host’s immune response to persist and cause disease for prolonged periods. Knowing how differences in the virus and the host’s immune system interplay to cause asymptomatic to severely disabling disease will assist in devising new treatments and prevention programs to lessen the impact of these diseases in Australia.
Mosquito-borne alphaviruses such as Ross River and chikungunya viruses cause widespread epidemics and exert extreme pressure on the public health systems of affected regions. Alphaviruses spreads to joints and triggers a severe disease in those affected. There are no effective treatments or vaccines. The project will investigate virus-host interaction at the bite site. The outcome will be new knowledge to treat infection at the mosquito bite site to prevent joint disease.
Novel Insights Into The Pathobiology Of Alphavirus Infections
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$827,660.00
Summary
Infections with mosquito-borne viruses are increasing at an alarming rate worldwide. Ross River virus is endemic in parts of Australia, PNG and Pacific islands, while chikungunya virus is distributed globally and causes recurrent pandemics that involve millions of people. These viruses cause severe musculoskeletal disease for several months after infection. This project aims to establish how these viruses interact with the human host to cause disease and may provide a basis for new treatments.