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Research

Role of stem cell precursors in tissues

We have recently published a paper identifying precursor populations in peripheral lung (2017), and have also discovered that these populations can be found in multiple tissues.

Research

Attenuation of maternal inflammatory responses during pregnancy to promote normal immune and behavioral outcomes in the offspring

This study will identify how the immune system contributes to neurodevelopmental outcomes and will investigate the use of an agent from traditional medicines.

Research

The impact of Influenza infection during early life on immune development

This study will investigate the why disease is worse in infants and how early life viral infection impacts the developing immune system.

Research

Mapping changes in immune cell populations in gestational tissues over the course of pregnancy

This is a strategic “pilot” project in which we are seeking basic information on the immune cell content of gestational tissues.

Research

Long-term derangement of antigen presenting cell populations in the respiratory tract following Influenza A infection

This project investigates how different populations of cells within the respiratory tract immune system are altered during a viral infection.

Research

Risk Factors for Gut Dysbiosis in Early Life

Dysbiosis refers to a reduction in microbial diversity, combined with a loss of beneficial taxa, and an increase in pathogenic microorganisms. Dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota can have a substantial effect on the nervous and immune systems, contributing to the onset of several inflammatory diseases.

Research

Protection against neonatal respiratory viral infection via maternal treatment during pregnancy with the benign immune training agent OM-85

Incomplete maturation of immune regulatory functions at birth is antecedent to the heightened risk for severe respiratory infections during infancy. Our forerunner animal model studies demonstrated that maternal treatment with the microbial-derived immune training agent OM-85 during pregnancy promotes accelerated postnatal maturation of mechanisms that regulate inflammatory processes in the offspring airways.

Research

Making a SmartStart for peanut introduction to support food allergy prevention guidelines for infants

Food allergy affects up to 10% of Australian infants. It was hypothesized that if parents follow the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy guidelines, Australian food allergy rates may stabilize or decline.

Research

Genetic variants of TLR4, including the novel variant, rs5030719, and related genes are associated with susceptibility to clinical malaria in African children

Malaria is a deadly disease caused by Plasmodium spp. Several blood phenotypes have been associated with malarial resistance, which suggests a genetic component to immune protection.

Research

Associations between the human immune system and gut microbiome with neurodevelopment in the first 5 years of life: A systematic scoping review

The aim of this review was to map the literature assessing associations between maternal or infant immune or gut microbiome biomarkers and child neurodevelopmental outcomes within the first 5 years of life. We conducted a PRISMA-ScR compliant review of peer-reviewed, English-language journal articles.