Dissecting the Parameters for the Generation of Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Immunity. This project aims to identify mechanisms by which antigen-presenting cells, such as dendritic cells, prime CD8+ T cells to generate effector and memory populations at the molecular level. The specific intention is to identify reagents capable of licensing dendritic cells, and examine the down-stream gene products/pathways generated by these signals using microarray analyses. Such knowledge will provide new insight i ....Dissecting the Parameters for the Generation of Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Immunity. This project aims to identify mechanisms by which antigen-presenting cells, such as dendritic cells, prime CD8+ T cells to generate effector and memory populations at the molecular level. The specific intention is to identify reagents capable of licensing dendritic cells, and examine the down-stream gene products/pathways generated by these signals using microarray analyses. Such knowledge will provide new insight into CTL generation by providing greater understanding of how multicellular systems function both at the cellular and molecular level.Read moreRead less
Imaging of immune responses to pathogens in vivo. This proposal represents an excellent opportunity for Australian science to participate in state-of-the-art research into the immune system and to be internationally competitive with the best researchers in the field. By combining advanced microscopy techniques with well developed biological models used by researchers at the University of Melbourne, this project will greatly improve our understanding of the dynamic interactions that occur betwee ....Imaging of immune responses to pathogens in vivo. This proposal represents an excellent opportunity for Australian science to participate in state-of-the-art research into the immune system and to be internationally competitive with the best researchers in the field. By combining advanced microscopy techniques with well developed biological models used by researchers at the University of Melbourne, this project will greatly improve our understanding of the dynamic interactions that occur between cells of the immune system during infectious diseases. The insight provided by this project will facilitate the design of better vaccines for protection against diseases, including influenza.Read moreRead less
Real-time imaging of the initiation of adaptive immunity in vivo. Understanding the first few hours of an immune response is fundamental to understanding how the human immune system functions. The immune system mounts our responses to infectious diseases, but can also cause autoimmune disease, allergy, and organ graft rejection. We will study how naive antigen-specific T cells first contact antigen in lymph nodes using 2-photon intravital microscopy. The research has the potential to change the ....Real-time imaging of the initiation of adaptive immunity in vivo. Understanding the first few hours of an immune response is fundamental to understanding how the human immune system functions. The immune system mounts our responses to infectious diseases, but can also cause autoimmune disease, allergy, and organ graft rejection. We will study how naive antigen-specific T cells first contact antigen in lymph nodes using 2-photon intravital microscopy. The research has the potential to change the way we think about the clonal selection of lymphocytes, the fundamental theory underlying our understanding of the immune system.Read moreRead less
CD4 T cell programming by neonatal and early-life infection. T lymphocytes (T cells) are white blood cells that play a critical role in protecting the body from infection. Before T cells can function they need to be programmed so that they can specifically respond to an infectious agent (a type of bacteria or virus). Inappropriate programming can lead to disease. Whether T cells respond to an infectious agent or foreign substance in a protective or destructive manner may critically depend on the ....CD4 T cell programming by neonatal and early-life infection. T lymphocytes (T cells) are white blood cells that play a critical role in protecting the body from infection. Before T cells can function they need to be programmed so that they can specifically respond to an infectious agent (a type of bacteria or virus). Inappropriate programming can lead to disease. Whether T cells respond to an infectious agent or foreign substance in a protective or destructive manner may critically depend on the age that an individual first encounters the infection. Our project will identify critical periods in life that direct T cell programming to subsequent protective or destructive responses, providing new insights into the developing immune system that may be exploited to treat disease or develop vaccines.Read moreRead less
Studies on peripheral T cell memory. Success in vaccination depends on the ability of the immune system to remember prior encounter with an infectious agent. This immune memory appears to work well for certain infections but not others, essentially meaning that for these diseases, effective vaccines remain unavailable. This application describes experiments based on a new leukocyte or white blood cell population that has been overlooked in studies of immune memory. The work involves identifyin ....Studies on peripheral T cell memory. Success in vaccination depends on the ability of the immune system to remember prior encounter with an infectious agent. This immune memory appears to work well for certain infections but not others, essentially meaning that for these diseases, effective vaccines remain unavailable. This application describes experiments based on a new leukocyte or white blood cell population that has been overlooked in studies of immune memory. The work involves identifying how they are formed and how they behave within the body. This work will therefore contribute to the development and production of new-generation vaccines to these so far uncontrollable infectious diseases.Read moreRead less
Identification of novel markers of inflammation. This project will benefit Australia as it will increase basic understanding of inflammatory processes, result in a new generation of diagnostics for inflammatory diseases that could lead to earlier diagnosis and to monitor treatment, resulting in large economic and health benefit. It may lead to development of novel new therapies using monoclonal antibodies to regulate processes in immune, cardiovascular and infectious diseases. The work will gene ....Identification of novel markers of inflammation. This project will benefit Australia as it will increase basic understanding of inflammatory processes, result in a new generation of diagnostics for inflammatory diseases that could lead to earlier diagnosis and to monitor treatment, resulting in large economic and health benefit. It may lead to development of novel new therapies using monoclonal antibodies to regulate processes in immune, cardiovascular and infectious diseases. The work will generate significant economic spin-offs to the Australian biotechnology industry and will further relationships and training between research and development.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0989436
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$400,000.00
Summary
Multiphoton microscopy of living animals as a tool for immunology and cell biology studies. The multiphoton microscope will enable us to watch the growth, migration and interactions of cells in a living animal in response to changes in the cells' environment will give us better understanding of how we work as living machines, and what can go wrong with that process to make us unwell.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0989226
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$340,000.00
Summary
Multi-photon imaging for infection, immunity, and self recognition. This proposal will address a gap in our imaging capabilities, allowing us to visualise the movement of immune cells and infectious agents such as bacteria and viruses within living tissues. This will immensely improve our capacity to understand interactions between the immune system, invading organisms and the rest of our body. The intravital imaging system will provide novel insights into how the immune system works, which will ....Multi-photon imaging for infection, immunity, and self recognition. This proposal will address a gap in our imaging capabilities, allowing us to visualise the movement of immune cells and infectious agents such as bacteria and viruses within living tissues. This will immensely improve our capacity to understand interactions between the immune system, invading organisms and the rest of our body. The intravital imaging system will provide novel insights into how the immune system works, which will benefit the design of vaccines, the treatment of cancer, and our understanding of allergy. This state-of-the-art facility will also provide vital training in an emerging technology that will have application in many areas of biology.
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NOVEL THERAPEUTICS FOR AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE USING MOUSE SCREENING MODELS. The project aims to use experimental models of human autoimmune disease in the mouse for the testing of developmental isoflavonoid compounds produced by the Industry Partner, for protective effects against autoimmunity. The murine models proposed will duplicate human autoimmune cardiomyopathy, systemic lupus erythematosus and multiple sclerosis, encompassing both organ-specific and systemic autoimmune diseases. Isoflavonoi ....NOVEL THERAPEUTICS FOR AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE USING MOUSE SCREENING MODELS. The project aims to use experimental models of human autoimmune disease in the mouse for the testing of developmental isoflavonoid compounds produced by the Industry Partner, for protective effects against autoimmunity. The murine models proposed will duplicate human autoimmune cardiomyopathy, systemic lupus erythematosus and multiple sclerosis, encompassing both organ-specific and systemic autoimmune diseases. Isoflavonoid protection is anticipated from the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and oestrogenic characteristics of these compounds/Read moreRead less
Understanding the dynamics of T cell responses to chronic infection. The health, social, and economic impact of chronic infections on the Australian and global populations is enormous. A major obstacle to the development of vaccines against chronic infections is that we have a poor understanding of immune responses to persistent infections. We aim to use bioinformatics and mathematical modelling to understand immune responses to persistent viruses so that we can improve the long-term immune cont ....Understanding the dynamics of T cell responses to chronic infection. The health, social, and economic impact of chronic infections on the Australian and global populations is enormous. A major obstacle to the development of vaccines against chronic infections is that we have a poor understanding of immune responses to persistent infections. We aim to use bioinformatics and mathematical modelling to understand immune responses to persistent viruses so that we can improve the long-term immune control of chronic viral infections such as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This project will strengthen Australian research in the area of interdisciplinary approaches to immunology, which is becoming crucial to interpreting the rapidly increasing volume of data obtained using advanced experimental techniques.Read moreRead less