Generation of multipotential memory CD8+ T cells [ 2005 - 2007 ]

Research Grant

Researchers: Prof Anne Kelso (Principal investigator) ,  Dr Adriana Baz Morelli

Brief description Vaccines aim to protect against future infections by inducing memory in the immune system so that the host can react quickly to the next challenge. Defence against viral infections and some cancers depends in part on activating CD8+ T cells, a class of white blood cell that can recognise and kill infected or malignant cells. The ideal vaccines against these challenges would therefore generate high numbers of long-lived CD8+ T cells that are programmed to make the right response if the infection or tumour re-emerges. Little is known about the programming of memory CD8+ T cells. We have recently found that some of these cells have the potential to be reprogrammed to display different functions by exposure to new stimuli. This opens up the possibility that ineffective responses could be improved by using vaccination to control the production of these flexible or multipotential memory cells or to reprogram them once they are formed. Alternatively, effective responses might be subverted by pathogens to the detriment of the host. The goal of this project is to learn how the first exposure to an immune challenge influences the development of these multipotential memory CD8+ cells. Understanding the signals and processes that generate multipotential memory cells will be the first step towards developing ways to manipulate them to improve immune defence.

Funding Amount $AUD 481,000.00

Funding Scheme NHMRC Project Grants

Notes Standard Project Grant