Immunology
Immunology Theme - Leader Gary Entrican
The development of safe and effective vaccines is dependant on a detailed understanding of host-pathogen relationships, knowledge of disease pathogenesis and identification of the immunological correlates of protection. The Research Divisions at Moredun study a range of viral, bacterial and parastitic diseases of livestock (principally, but not exclusively sheep) that elicit different components of the host immune response. Safe and effective vaccines aim to mimic the protective immune responses that control infection while avoiding potentially damaging immune responses that can themselves cause disease (immunopathology). This requires not only an understanding of how innate and adaptive immune responses are triggered and switched on by pathogens, but also an understanding of how immune responses are regulated and switched off. The Moredun Immunology Theme, led by Dr Gary Entrican, serves as a cross-divisional infrastructure for scientists to share knowledge and expertise on host immunity to infection.
Veterinary immunology has traditionally lagged behind that of human and mouse in terms of availability of tools and reagents to quantify and manipulate immune responses. Moredun has a long-standing global reputation for investment and excellence in immunological reagent development in sheep and in applying those reagents to advance our knowledge of infectious diseases. These reagents include the cloning, expression and development of molecular probes and the production of monoclonal antibodies to cytokines, chemokines, cell-surface markers, major histocompatibility (MHC) molecules, innate defence molecules and intracellular immunomodulatory molecules. Moredun also has an MHC-defined sheep flock.
Moredun is a partner in the Immunological Toolbox, a Consortium project jointly funded by BBSRC and RERAD to develop immunological reagents for sheep, cattle, pigs, horses and poultry. The Consortium partners with Moredun are the Institute for Animal Health and the Animal Health Trust, details of which can be found here. The Immunological Toolbox maintains open communication with the USDA Veterinary Immune Reagent Network, a consortium in the USA also geared towards immunological reagent development in livestock species. Open communication between partners within these projects permits effective cross-testing of reagents and avoids unneccessary duplication of effort.
Moredun contributes to the Edinburgh Immunology Group (EIG), a Regional Group of the British Society for Immunology (BSI). Details of EIG seminars and meetings can be found at http://immunology.org/meetings_inyourarea_edinburgh.php.
For further details contact Dr Gary Entrican (gary.entrican@moredun.ac.uk)