Project: MR1 – a molecular alarm system for intracellular bacterial infection
Villadangos Group
MR1 functions as a molecular alarm system to alert the immune system that a bacterial infection is taking place. It does this by capturing metabolite by-products from bacteria and presenting them at the cell surface to activate a highly abundant T cell subset, called mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells. MR1 is a highly conserved piece of the mammalian immune repertoire to detect bacterial pathogens, yet basic aspects of its cell biology are not well understood. This project will investigate the molecular machinery underpinning the biology of MR1 molecules, using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and cutting-edge cell biology and biochemistry techniques.
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Villadangos Group
3 vacancies
Research Projects 2019 | 57 The Villadangos group studies the first event that triggers adaptive immune responses: the presentation of pathogen or tumour antigens to T cells by dendritic cells, B cells and macrophages. We are characterising the development, regulation and impairment of antigen presenting cells by pathogens, inflammatory mediators and tumours. We are also dissecting the biochemical machinery involved in antigen capture, processing and presentation. We use this knowledge to understand how T cell-dependent immunity is initiated and maintained, and apply it to design better vaccines and immunotherapies against infectious agents and cancer.
Villadangos Group Current Projects
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MR1 – a molecular alarm system for intracellular bacterial infection
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
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Immunoregulatory functions of the MARCH family of ubiquitin ligases
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
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Understanding the mechanisms that impair anti-tumour Adoptive Cell Therapy
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
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The role of glucose metabolism in the regulation of immunity
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
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Immuno-paralysis following severe infections or trauma
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
Research degrees at the Doherty Institute are administered by the University of Melbourne.