Enteric Immunology Group

The work of the group is focused on fundamental cellular and molecular immunology of the gut, and includes aspects of vaccine development in birds and mammals.

The gut is a major site of residence and portal of entry for a wide range of pathogenic micro-organisms. It represents a specialised, structurally complex, immune compartment that is regulated differently from the non-mucosal immune system. Understanding the fundamental mechanisms by which the gut immune system discriminates disease-causing (pathogenic) from non-pathogenic agents, and how immune responses are mediated and controlled, is a major issue. The balance between effective immune protection and immune pathology is delicate, and is achieved by the complex interplay of numerous immune cell types. The group employs a wide range of systems to address these fundamental questions.

Current work is focussed on the rapid induction of T cell responses, mechanisms of immunity, T cell repertoires, and regulation of immune memory in the gut. Practical implications include the better design of vaccines that target pathogens of the gut, and greater ability to manipulate these responses to avoid deleterious ones.

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