My research seeks to understand how and why human T cells cause autoimmune diseases. Specifically, I am interested in understanding which antigens are ‘seen’ by autoreactive T cells and why those structures are recognised by auto-pathogenic T cells.

How a T cell responds to a particular antigen changes the resulting immune response. My work seeks understanding of what affects T cell function and to develop assays to detect autoantigen-specific T cells and analyse their function in vitro.

Key achievements

2021   JDRF Pilot and Innovation Award

2017   Diabetes Australia Millennium Award; JDRF-Australia T1D Clinical Research Network Innovation Award

2014   JDRF Career Development Award; JDRF-Macquarie Group Foundation Diabetes Global Research Innovation Award

2009   JDRF Transition Award

2006   JDRF Advanced Postdoctoral Fellowship

 

Selected publications

M. T. Tran, P. Faridi, J. J. Lim, Y. T. Ting, G. Onwukwe, P. Bhattacharjee, C. M. Jones, E. Tresoldi, F. J. Cameron, N. L. La Gruta, A. W. Purcell, S. I. Mannering, J. Rossjohn, and H. H. Reid. “T Cell Receptor Recognition of Hybrid Insulin Peptides Bound to Hla-Dq8.” Nat Commun 12, no. 1 (25 Aug 2021): 5110. dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-25404-x.

M. So, C. M. Elso, E. Tresoldi, M. Pakusch, V. Pathiraja, J. M. Wentworth, L. C. Harrison, B. Krishnamurthy, H. E. Thomas, C. Rodda, F. J. Cameron, J. McMahon, T. W. H. Kay, and S. I. Mannering. “Proinsulin C-Peptide is an Autoantigen in People with Type 1 Diabetes.” Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 115, no. 42 (16 Oct 2018): 10732-37. dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1809208115.

T. Delong, T. A. Wiles, R. L. Baker, B. Bradley, G. Barbour, R. Reisdorph, M. Armstrong, R. L. Powell, N. Reisdorph, N. Kumar, C. M. Elso, M. DeNicola, R. Bottino, A. C. Powers, D. M. Harlan, S. C. Kent, S. I. Mannering, and K. Haskins. “Pathogenic Cd4 T Cells in Type 1 Diabetes Recognize Epitopes Formed by Peptide Fusion.” Science 351, no. 6274 (2016-02-12 00:00:00 2016): 711-14. dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aad2791.

V. Pathiraja, J. P. Kuehlich, P. D. Campbell, B. Krishnamurthy, T. Loudovaris, P. T. Coates, T. C. Brodnicki, P. J. O’Connell, K. Kedzierska, C. Rodda, P. Bergman, E. Hill, A. W. Purcell, N. L. Dudek, H. E. Thomas, T. W. Kay, and S. I. Mannering. “Proinsulin-Specific, Hla-Dq8, and Hla-Dq8-Transdimer-Restricted Cd4+ T Cells Infiltrate Islets in Type 1 Diabetes.” Diabetes 64, no. 1 (Jan 2015): 172-82. dx.doi.org/10.2337/db14-0858.

S. I. Mannering, J. A. Dromey, J. S. Morris, D. J. Thearle, K. P. Jensen, and L. C. Harrison. “An Efficient Method for Cloning Human Autoantigen-Specific T Cells.” J Immunol Methods 298, no. 1-2 (Mar 2005): 83-92. dx.doi.org/S0022-1759(05)00009-8 [pii]10.1016/j.jim.2005.01.001.

S. I. Mannering, J. S. Morris, K. P. Jensen, A. W. Purcell, M. C. Honeyman, P. M. van Endert, and L. C. Harrison. “A Sensitive Method for Detecting Proliferation of Rare Autoantigen-Specific Human T Cells.” J Immunol Methods 283, no. 1-2 (Dec 2003): 173-83. dx.doi.org/S0022175903003661 [pii].

Human 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

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