Research Projects

Severe infections (sepsis) and trauma cause dangerous "cytokine storms" followed by a period of immunosuppression that can last for several weeks. Immunosuppressed patients are at risk of suffering secondary or opportunistic infections, a major cause of death in intensive care units. Indeed, secondary pneumonia is a major contributor to morbidity and mortality during viral pandemics (Influenza, COVID-19). Our laboratory has discovered that impairment of macrophages and dendritic cells, the primary initiators of T cell immunity, plays a critical role in immunosuppression. We have termed this phenomenon "immune paralysis". The goal of this project is to characterise the mechanisms that cause macrophage and dendritic cell paralysis and to develop therapies to prevent immunosuppression and secondary infections.

Supervisors:

Prof Jose Villadangos

Dr Laura Cook

Dr Antoine Roquilly

Further reading:

A Roquilly, … and J. A. Villadangos. 2017. Local modulation of antigen presenting cell development after resolution of pneumonia induces long-term susceptibility to secondary infections. Immunity 47:135-147. PMID: 28723546.

A Roquilly… and JA Villadangos. 2020.  Alveolar macrophages are epigenetically altered after inflammation, leading to long-term lung immunoparalysis. Nat Immunol 21:636-48. PMID 32581370.

A Roquilly, JD Mintern and JA Villadangos. (2022). Spatiotemporal adaptations of macrophage and dendritic cell development and function. Annu Rev Immunol 40:525-57, PMID: 35130030.

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