Microbiology and Immunology
Recent Deposits
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MR1 surface expression on primary blood cells and their role in mucosal associated invariant T (MAIT) cell activation
Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are innate-like T lymphocytes that bridge the innate and adaptive immune systems to provide rapid effector responses against a broad range of bacteria. MAIT cells are characterised ... -
Investigating cellular remodelling events induced by the oncolytic Seneca Valley Virus
Cancer is a worldwide problem affecting millions of people. Typical cancer treatments are often very toxic and have a range of negative side effects. A new field of cancer research that may provide new cancer therapies is ... -
Genetic Determinants of Host-Specificity in Mesorhizobium loti NZP2037
The establishment of a successful symbiotic interaction between rhizobia and their respective legume hosts involves complex molecular interactions between the two prospective partners. The determinants behind the specificity ... -
Functional analysis of poxvirus anaphase-promoting complex regulator (PACR), an orf virus cell cycle regulator.
Viruses, after long periods of time infecting and co-evolving with their hosts have developed complex and ingenious ways of manipulating host cell environments to better suit their needs. One such example of this is ... -
Spatiotemporal patterns of prokaryotic communities in New Zealand agricultural soils
New Zealand pasture soils are an important resource, contributing significantly to the economy and global food security. However, the sustainability of current land management practices is of great concern, leading researchers ... -
Modulating the immune response to colorectal cancer in mice using a chitosan gel vaccine
Vaccines modulate the host’s anti-tumour immune response and represent an area of emerging immunotherapy research for the treatment of cancer, including colorectal cancer (CRC). Murine subcutaneous (SC) injections of tumour ... -
Structural and Proteomic Analysis of ΦTE, a Phage Infecting Pectobacterium atrosepticum
Bacteriophages are extremely diverse and are also far more numerous than any other organism on Earth. Despite this diversity, there still remain many unanswered questions regarding their structures, what (and how) forces ... -
Blimp-1+ regulatory T cells in human colorectal cancer
Analysis of tumour infiltrating immune cells in colorectal cancer (CRC) is superior to the current staging at predicting disease-free survival. The Immunoscore has been proposed as a way to use CD3+ and CD8+ T cell infiltrates ... -
Investigating resistance in Enterococcus faecalis against the new antibiotic teixobactin
The rapid rise and spread of multi-drug resistant (MDR) pathogens has become a daunting reality for many countries world-wide driving the need for new antimicrobials with novel targets. Enterococci, a natural inhabitant ... -
The human kinases mTOR, PKC-α, and their substrate Filamin A promote infection of human cells by Listeria monocytogenes
The bacterium Listeria monocytogenes is a food borne intracellular pathogen capable of causing gastroenteritis, abortions, or meningitis with a high mortality rate. Listeria is a facultative intracellular pathogen that ... -
Role for Host Exocytosis in Entry of the Bacterial Pathogen Listeria monocytogenes into Human Cells
Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is a Gram-positive bacterium responsible for gastroenteritis, meningitis, and abortion in pregnant women. This intracellular pathogen is able to induce its internalization into host mammalian ... -
Role of host Arf GTPases and the scaffolding protein Tuba in the infection of human cells by bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes
The gram-positive bacterium Listeria monocytogenes is an important cause of foodborne illnesses resulting in gastroenteritis, meningitis, or abortion. Listeria is a facultative intracellular pathogen that is able to induce ... -
Tumour Extracellular Vesicles in Cancer Metastasis & Thrombosis
Tumour cells release lipid particles known as extracellular vesicles (EV) that contribute to cancer metastasis, to the immune response, and to thrombosis. There are many types of identified EV, and most live tumour cells ... -
Characterising a large population of langerin+, MHC-II+ cells in mouse skin wounds
Developing a thorough understanding of wound healing is crucial given the importance of the skin and the many challenges medical professionals face when it is damaged. The immune system is very involved in the healing ... -
Investigating the Site of Innate Lymphoid Cell Division Following BCG Vaccination
Tuberculosis (TB) is the most deadly infectious disease worldwide, killing 1.4 million people each year. Efforts to control the spread of this disease through antibiotic treatments and a century-old preventative vaccine, ... -
T cell signalling in patients with colorectal cancer
T lymphocytes (T cells) are essential for mediating an effector response against tumours. High infiltrates of T cells in the tumour from colorectal cancer (CRC) patients are associated with positive patient outcomes, ... -
Activated macrophages in human colorectal cancer
Unlike in other cancers, a high infiltration of macrophages in colorectal cancer has been associated with improved patient prognosis. However, controversy lies over the exact effect macrophages have in altering colorectal ... -
Regulation of Antimicrobial Resistance in Enterococcus faecalis
The inappropriate use and overuse of antimicrobials in both clinical and agricultural settings, has led to the rapid emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Key to combatting AMR will be obtaining a detailed ... -
The Chemokine-binding Proteins Encoded by Bovine Papular Stomatitis Virus and Parapoxvirus of Red Deer in New Zealand: Molecular and Functional Characterization
Poxviruses are large DNA viruses that infect a wide range of animals including humans. During the course of evolution, these complex viruses have gained an extensive repertoire of immunomodulatory genes to evade host immune ... -
N cycling and microbial dynamics in pasture soils
Pasture soils are a significant source of the greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide (N2O) and as such they contribute to global warming. It has been reported that N2O is approx. 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2) as ...