Project: How do fibroblasts sustain exhausted T cells to improve checkpoint blockade therapy?
Mueller Group
Chronic viral infections and cancer lead to dysfunctional CD8 T cells, characterised by high expression of inhibitory molecules, such as PD-1. Targeting PD-1 in immunotherapy has been successful in improving outcomes in cancer, but there is a need to better understand the mechanisms that regulate CD8 T cell responses during chronic infections to improve immunotherapies and restore exhausted T cells. A newly described subset of CD8 T cells with stem-like features reside in T cell zones of the lymphoid organs during chronic infection and are the critical target if anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. This project will investigate new ways to improve treatments for chronic infections by targeting stem-like T cell niches. We will use newly generated mouse models that target lymphoid stromal cells during chronic virus infection, checkpoint blockade, flow cytometry and confocal microscopy.
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Mueller Group
5 vacancies
Research in the Mueller group is focused on examining immune responses and nervous system interactions during acute and chronic viral infections and in cancer. We are seeking a fundamental understanding of biology and new treatments for disease. We are using state-of-the-art methods, including advanced microscopy, spectral flow cytometry, single cell sequencing and bioinformatics.
Mueller Group Current Projects
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Neural regulation of anti-cancer immunity
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
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How do lymph nodes facilitate cancer metastasis?
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
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How do fibroblasts sustain exhausted T cells to improve checkpoint blockade therapy?
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
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New ways of targeting monocytes to treat infection and cancer
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
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Neuroimmune interactions in virus infection
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science
Research degrees at the Doherty Institute are administered by the University of Melbourne.