CD4+ T-cells In HIV - Regulator Or Target Of Viral Infection: A Modelling Approach
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$319,740.00
Summary
T-cell loss due to HIV infection causes immunodeficiency. Since virus grows faster if more T-cells are available and preferentially infects dividing cells, we want to understand how replacement, division and death of uninfected T-cells affect the progress of HIV infection and T-cell recovery during drug therapy. The results of our study will lead to a better understanding of HIV disease, and may assist in the development of novel treatment regimes optimising T-cell numbers during infection.
Asthma is a significant burden to the health care system and to individual sufferers. Currently we can treat asthma with corticosteroids to reduce inflammation in the lung but the side effects of these medications, particularly in children, make them less than ideal treatments. In order to design a more specific treatment for asthma, which would only target the inflammatory cells which are involved in the lung, we need to understand how these cells behave and what initiates the cascade of events ....Asthma is a significant burden to the health care system and to individual sufferers. Currently we can treat asthma with corticosteroids to reduce inflammation in the lung but the side effects of these medications, particularly in children, make them less than ideal treatments. In order to design a more specific treatment for asthma, which would only target the inflammatory cells which are involved in the lung, we need to understand how these cells behave and what initiates the cascade of events in the lung. This project is designed to investigate how chemical mediators, cytokines, are produced by various cells in the lung and how they induce lung cells to make structural changes to the lung tissue and increase the inflammation. The source and specific types of cytokines released are being investigated to provide important information regarding the disease process of asthma. From this new knowledge, design of specific new treatments, with fewer unwanted side-effects, should be possible.Read moreRead less
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.
Identifying The Ontogeny And Fate Of T Follicular Helper Cells By Two-photon Photoconversion
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$623,070.00
Summary
The aim of this proposal is to investigate immune cells called T follicular helper cells using a novel microscopy-based method that we have developed. This method lets us ‘tag’ these cells in a way that enables us to distinguish them from all other cells and follow them as they migrate to different immunological compartments during the response. T follicular helper cells are important for protective immune responses against pathogens and a better understanding of this T cell subset will aid vacc ....The aim of this proposal is to investigate immune cells called T follicular helper cells using a novel microscopy-based method that we have developed. This method lets us ‘tag’ these cells in a way that enables us to distinguish them from all other cells and follow them as they migrate to different immunological compartments during the response. T follicular helper cells are important for protective immune responses against pathogens and a better understanding of this T cell subset will aid vaccine design.Read moreRead less
Characterisation And Development Of Type-2 NKT Cells
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$853,885.00
Summary
Humans defend themselves from foreign pathogens by mounting a protective immune response. Type-2 NKT cells recognise foreign lipid molecules and play a key role in immunity. This project is designed to understand to how Type-2 NKT cells develop within the body, how they recognise lipid molecules and how they carry out their immune functions. This work will have important implications in understanding the role of NKT cells in human health and disease.
Molecular And Cellular Control Of Human Th9 Cell Differentiation In Health And Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$550,888.00
Summary
T helper 9 (Th9) cells are a recently defined population of CD4+ T cells that have been implicated in immunological disorders ranging from allergy, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, and cancer, to host defence against fungal and parasitic infections. As such, Th9 cells are extremely important to human health and disease. This project aims to define the mechanisms involved in the generation, regulation and function of human Th9 cells.
The Impact Of Micropolymorphism Within The T Cell Receptor Genes And Their Target Antigenic Peptides
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$365,126.00
Summary
T lymphocytes play a pivotal role in the immune system by recognising virus-infected tissue through the use of highly specific T cell receptors (TCRs). This project will investigate the importance of genetic variation in the TCR genes in influencing how we fight infections. Another aim is to examine how the immune system tolerates genetic variation in an infecting virus. Advances in these areas will aid in the development of new "intelligent" vaccines.
The Mezzanine T Cell Response: Intervening At The Coal Face
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$765,585.00
Summary
In an initial immune response, specialised cells in lymph nodes tell T cells to multiply; the stimulated T cells depart and enter target tissue (e.g. lung in the case of flu). We describe a new response whereby the target tissue itself can tell T cells to multiply further. This response in target tissues reveals a new way of altering immune responses. This is especially important as in many diseases, the primary lymph node response has already occurred, so cannot be therapeutically intervened.