All cells in the body need to get their energy from somewhere, and the chemical basis of their energy supply varies depends on many factors, including their location and rate of cell division. We have found that an important population of white blood cells that control the character and magnitude of most immune responses appear to use an unusual source of their energy. If true this would provide a range of new opportunities to control the numbers and activities of these cells, a thereby control ....All cells in the body need to get their energy from somewhere, and the chemical basis of their energy supply varies depends on many factors, including their location and rate of cell division. We have found that an important population of white blood cells that control the character and magnitude of most immune responses appear to use an unusual source of their energy. If true this would provide a range of new opportunities to control the numbers and activities of these cells, a thereby control the character and magnitude of immune responses.Read moreRead less
Defining The Role Of Zinc In Human Macrophage Responses To Salmonella
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$592,049.00
Summary
It is estimated that one third of the worlds population is affected by mild to moderate zinc deficiency, and that this predisposes to a range of infectious diseases. The immunomodulatory effects of zinc have been appreciated for many years, and indeed zinc supplementation is used to treat severe diarrhoeal diseases. This project aims to understand the anti-infective mechanisms of zinc by focusing on macrophages, a key cell type involved in killing invading microorganisms.
The innate immune response is our primary defence against infection, but must be controlled carefully to avoid chronic inflammation and autoimmunity. Studying tiny regulators of gene function called micro-RNAs and unique cellular pathways, we aim to understand the “big picture” of genetic regulatory systems in innate immunity to provide new insights into inflammation and infection, the genetic basis of diseases, and to identify new potential therapeutic targets, biomarkers and antiviral targets.