Immunology is the study of the immune system, which controls infections and provides protection against pathogens.
Problems with the immune system can be linked to serious health conditions, including autoimmune diseases, asthma and allergies.
Scientists at SVI are investigating how the immune system works and how it might be manipulated to treat disease, with a particular focus on type 1 diabetes.
- RNA & T Cell Biology
- Immunology
- Islet Biology
- Structural Immunobiology
- Human Immunology
RNA & T Cell Biology
We interrogate the genetic mechanisms that control development of the immune system, to better understand human health and disease.
Lab head: Associate Professor Mark ChongImmunology
We study the precise mechanisms by which T cells destroy beta cells – the ultimate cause of type 1 diabetes – and test ways to prevent this from happening.
Lab head: Professor Tom KayIslet Biology
We study the interaction between the immune system and insulin-producing cells in the pancreas to develop immune-based prevention and cure strategies for type 1 diabetes.
Lab head: Professor Helen ThomasStructural Immunobiology
We aim to reveal the way immune cells – with particular emphasis on ‘natural killer’ cells – communicate with their environment. We wish to harness this information to improve diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as leukaemia, HTLV1 infection, multiple sclerosis and psoriasis.
Lab head: Dr Julian VivianHuman Immunology
The Human Immunology Laboratory has two related goals: 1) to determine how and why the immune system turns against insulin-producing cells, leading to type 1 diabetes, and 2) to develop ways to measure and prevent the disease-causing immune response.
Lab head: Associate Professor Stuart Mannering