Dissecting In Vivo Cellular Responses To Interferons In Pathogen-infected Hosts
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$479,694.00
Summary
Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by virulent bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis and is a leading cause of death worldwide. Mechanisms underlying host resistance to the pathogen are poorly understood. Using a novel reporter mouse, the function of interferons in Mtb infection will be defined in vivo by tracking the cytokine-responsive cells. This will increase our understanding of the effects of these important cytokines in vivo, and could provide new candidate biomarkers for TB diagnosis.
Using A Novel Assay That Detects Antigen Specific CD4+ And Regulatory T Cells To Further Understand Reconstitution Of Antigen Specific Immune Response Post Anti-retroviral Therapy In Subjects With HIV And In The Diagnosis Of Latent TB
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$102,780.00
Summary
The process by which the immune system recovers after commencement of therapy for HIV is not well understood. We will use a new test to monitor the immune system's ability to recognise and react to different antigens inorder to understand the factors that affect immune recovery in patients on therapy for HIV. We will also evaluate the use of this new test in the diagnosis of latent TB. Improvement in detection will lead to treatment of latent TB thus reduction of cases of active TB.
Structural And Functional Studies Of T-cell Mediated Recognition Of Microbial Lipids Presented By CD1c
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$316,449.00
Summary
The CD1c molecule plays an important role in the immune system by presenting lipid-based antigen of pathogens to the surface of an antigen presenting cell (APC) that is infected by the pathogen. Once a T cell receptor (TCR), which is expressed on the surface of a Killer T cell, recognises CD1c presenting pathogenic lipid, any infected cells will be destroyed. My research will look at the molecular mechanism of T cell recognising tuberculosis related lipids that is presented by CD1c.
A Novel Strategy To Enhance T Cell-mediated Immunity To Vaccine Antigens
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$234,592.00
Summary
Globally there are about 33 million people living with HIV. The disease has already resulted in 23 million deaths and 2.5 million people are newly infected each year. Similarly, TB kills nearly 2 million people every year and infects about 1% of the worldÍs population every year. A vaccine is the best and also likely the only long-term solution for HIV/TB disease prevention. This research proposal looks at novel strategies to increase the efficacy of vaccines for diseases such as HIV/TB.