Pattern Recognition Receptors and Inflammation

Suitability: Honours, PhD Project leader: A/Prof Ashley Mansell e: ashley.mansell@hudson.org.au Project description: Recent discoveries have positioned mitochondrial reprogramming by Toll-like receptors (TLRs), at the centre of innate immune inflammation. Immunometabolism describes the interplay between immunological and metabolic processes which are not only critical to the immediate innate immune response to infection, but also the new paradigm of innate memory or training, the concept that myeloid lineage cells can respond more strongly to future challenge via epigenetic reprogramming. We have discovered a role for STAT3 in immunometabolism and how this regulates inflammatory gene induction, mitochondrial health, and metabolism. This project offers the opportunity to explore the molecular dynamics and mechanisms of TLR-induced mitochondrial metabolism, and the temporal influence on transcriptional and epigenetic remodelling using advanced genetic sequencing and metabolomic approaches, in conjunction with novel mouse models of dysfunctional STAT3 signalling and inflammatory disease.

Keywords: Innate immunity, inflammation Toll-like receptors, Pattern Recognition Receptors, cell biology, mitochondria, metabolism

Suitability: Honours, PhD Project leader: A/Prof Ashley Mansell e: ashley.mansell@hudson.org.au Project description: The recent and deadly emergence of SARS CoV 2 (COVID-19) has illustrated how unprepared we are for an emerging infectious disease.There is a desperate need to identify and target how these pathogens induce severe and lethal inflammation during infection. We recently identified and characterised aggregated viral proteins as a novel class of inflammasome activators that induce hyperinflammation characteristic of infections such as avian influenza. We have now identified several proteins that show aggregating potential and inflammasome activation in viruses characterised by excessive inflammation, such as Ebola virus, SARS-coronavirus, dengue virus and picornaviruses. Using novel cell biology methodologies, cell lines, microimaging and genedeficient mouse models, we will explore the capacity of peptides based on these viral proteins to examine inflammasome activation. This project offers the opportunity to interact with virologists and our collaborators in Bonn, Germany.

Keywords: innate immunity, inflammation, emerging infectious diseases, inflammasome, infectious disease