Professor Jennifer Rolland

Current Position:
Professor and Deputy Head of Department

Phone:
+ 61 3 9903 0480

Facsimile:
+ 61 3 9903 0038

Email:
jennifer.rolland@med.monash.edu.au

Office and Laboratory:
Department of Immunology
Level 2, Monash University Building, AMREP
Commercial Road
Melbourne 3004

Biosketch:
Jennifer Rolland completed her BSc in Microbiology and Biochemistry at the University of Melbourne and PhD in Immunology at Monash University.  She coordinates several Immunology teaching programs at Monash University and consults for the Immunopathology diagnostic service at the Alfred Hospital.  Her research programs focus on characterisation of disorders of the immune system and elucidation of their pathogenesis. She has formed a highly successful research collaboration with Professor Robyn O’Hehir, Head, Department of Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory Medicine at the Alfred Hospital, ensuring clinically relevant and targeted projects.  Studies include characterization of the fine specificity and reactivity of allergen-specific T cells and development of hypoallergenic allergen preparations for improved specific immunotherapy.  Both clinical trials and in vitro studies are used to investigate mechanisms of allergen immunotherapy and optimal strategies for down-regulation of the adverse T cell response to allergen in allergic individuals.  Major research funding is from an NH&MRC Program grant and the CRC for Asthma and Airways.

Current Research Focus:
Characterisation of the T cell response to allergens with a view to refining immunotherapy and diagnostic assays for allergic diseases.

Selected Publications:
Glaspole IN, de Leon MP, Rolland JM, O'hehir RE. Anaphylaxis to lemon soap: citrus seed and peanut allergen cross-reactivity. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2007 Mar;98(3):286-9

de Leon MP,  Rolland JM, O'Hehir RE. The peanut allergy epidemic: allergen molecular characterisation and prospects for specific therapy. Expert Rev Mol Med. 2007; 9(1):1-18.

de Leon MP, Drew AC, Glaspole IN, Suphioglu C, O'Hehir RE and Rolland JM. IgE cross-reactivity between the major peanut allergen Ara h 2 and tree nut allergens. Mol Immunol. 2007; 44(4):463-71

Rolland JM, Apostolou E, Deckert K, de Leon MP, Douglass JA, Glaspole IN, Bailey M, Stockley CS and O’Hehir RE.Potential food allergens in wine: Double-blind, placebo-controlled trial and basophil activation analysis. Nutrition. 2006; 22(9):882-8.

Hardy CL, O'Conner AE, Yao J, Sebire K, de Kretser DM, Rolland JM, Anderson GP, Phillips DJ and O'Hehir RE. Follistatin is a candidate endogenous negative regulator of activin A in experimental allergic asthma. Clin Exp Allergy. 2006; 36(7):941-50.

Apostolou E, Deckert K, Puy R, Sandrini A, de Leon MP, Douglass JA, Rolland JM and O’Hehir RE. Anaphylaxis to Gelofusine confirmed by in vitro basophil activation test: a case series.Anaesthesia. 2006; 61(3):264-8.

Davies JM, Bright M, Rolland JM, O’Hehir RE. Bahia grass pollen specific IgE is common in seasonal rhinitis patients but has limited cross-reactivity with ryegrass.  Allergy. 2005; 60:251-255.

Rolland JM, Drew AC and O’Hehir RE.  Advances in development of hypoallergenic latex immunotherapy. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2005; 5:544-551.

Glaspole IN, de Leon MP, Rolland JM and O’Hehir RE. Characterisation of the T cell epitopes of a major peanut allergen, Ara h 2. Allergy. 2005;  60:35-40.

Gardner LM, Thien FC, Douglass JA, Rolland JM and O’Hehir RE. Induction of T regulatory cells by standardised house dust mite immunotherapy: an increase in CD4⁺CD25⁺IL-10⁺ T cells expressing peripheral tissue trafficking markers. Clin Exp Allergy. 2004; 34:1209-1219.

Drew AC, Eusebius NP, Kenins L, de Silva HD, Suphioglu C, Rolland JM and O'Hehir RE.  Hypoallergenic variants of the major latex allergen Hev b 6.01 retaining human T lymphocyte reactivity.  J Immunol. 2004; 173: 5872-5879.

Gardner LM, Spyroglou L, O’Hehir RE, Rolland JM.  Increased allergen concentration enhances IFN-γ production by allergic donor T cells expressing a peripheral tissue trafficking phenotype. Allergy. 2004; 59: 1308-1317.

De Silva HD, Gardner LM, Drew AC, Beezhold DH, Rolland JM and O'Hehir RE. The hevein domain of the major latex-glove allergen Hev b 6.01 contains dominant T cell reactive sites. Clin Exp Allergy. 2004; 34:611-618.

Burton MD, Papalia L, Eusebius NP, O'Hehir RE and Rolland JM.  Characterisation of the human T cell response to rye grass pollen allergens Lol p 1 and Lol p 5. Allergy. 2002; 57:136-144.

Rolland J and O’Hehir R. Immunotherapy of allergy: anergy, deletion and immune deviation. Curr Opin Immunol. 1998; 10:640-645.

Burton MD, Blaher B, Suphioglu C, O’Hehir RE, Carbone FR and Rolland JM.  T-cell receptor contact and MHC binding residues of a major rye grass pollen allergen T-cell epitope. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1999; 103:255-261.