Innate Immunity and Adjuvants
The innate immune system detects and responds to many pathogenic invaders as a first line of defense, by stimulating the recruitment of early effector cells such as neutrophils and macrophages to the site of infection or vaccination.. Following detection of pathogens it also mobilises and instructs the "flexible" adaptive immune system to respond in a more specific manner. The multifunctional aspect of the innate immune system has major implications for infectious as well as inflammatory diseases . It also has wide reaching implications for the design of vaccine adjuvants that work by activating the innate immune system to varying degrees. We currently use both sheep and mouse models to investigate how the innate immune system modulates:
- allergic stimuli (house dust mite and peanuts)
- bacterial infection and
- vaccine-induced immunity
Using a unique model of afferent lymphatic cannulation, we examine how different innate stimuli and adjuvants alter gene expression, cellular recruitment and antigen uptake and trafficking within the lymphatic system, the primary route for cells and antigen to travel from tissues to lymph nodes.
The projects undertaken in the innate immune laboratory are aimed at developing an understanding of fundamental pathways and mechanisms involved in shaping the immune system with implications for diseases such as allergies and asthma, bacterial and parasite infections as well as vaccination efficacy and safety.
Contact: Dr. Mike de Veer
For a list of all BRL potential student projects please click here
