Microbiology and Immunology
Recent Deposits
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Defining the role of respiratory oxidase function in mycobacteria
Members of the Mycobacterium genus are well known for their energetic flexibility, a trait which they exploit to grow and survive under a wide range of oxygen tensions, including hypoxia. Contributing to this flexibility ... -
Bacterial regulation of early activation of mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells
Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are a population of CD8+ innate-like T cells that play an important role in the immune response to bacterial infections. Being characterised by the expression of a unique ... -
Effect of WNT/β-catenin Signalling on T cells in Colorectal Cancer
Worldwide, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common cancer and has the second highest mortality rate of any cancer. Only a subset of CRC patients respond to immunotherapies. This lack of response may be due to the ... -
Growth Inhibition of Mycobacteria by Innate Lymphoid Cells
Tuberculosis (TB) is a lung disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), which was responsible for 1.6 million deaths in 2017. The only vaccine against TB; bacille Calmette Guérin (BCG), protects against miliary and ... -
Generation of FMC63 scFv specific anti-idiotype antibodies for quality control of anti-CD19 CAR T cell trials
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy is an emerging form of immunotherapy that has revolutionised the treatment of some cancers. This is especially true for relapsed and refractory (r/r) lymphoma where it has ... -
Exclusive enteral nutrition therapy reduces Clostridia flagellins within the Crohn’s disease gut microbiome
Crohn’s disease is a highly prevalent form of inflammatory bowel disease, with rapidly increasing incidence both within New Zealand, and around the world. Although Crohn’s disease aetiology is poorly understood, it has ... -
Characterising T cell responses to chitosan hydrogel vaccines in an orthotopic mouse model of colorectal cancer
Anti-tumour T cell responses have a critical role in determining patient outcome in colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the generation of favourable immune responses in humans is poorly understood. Mouse models of CRC often ... -
The Effect of Raw and Processed Bovine Milk Consumption on Immune Responses in Allergy and Health
A large body of epidemiological evidence shows that children who consume raw bovine milk in early life have reduced incidence of allergies and asthma in later life; while consumption of heat-treated, or processed milk, ... -
Characterisation of genes involved in exopolysaccharide biosynthesis and transport in the Mesorhizobium loti strain R7A
Rhizobia are bacteria that are important in fixing gaseous nitrogen into a plant-available form via a symbiotic interaction with leguminous plants. In order for this to occur, the legume and the rhizobia must communicate ... -
Bioavailability and biological effects of isothiocyanates from broccoli sprout powder
Broccoli sprout powder (BSP) is a rich source of glucosinolates that can be hydrolysed to isothiocyanates by enzyme myrosinase when the powder comes into contact with water. The major isothiocyanate produced in broccoli ... -
Transcriptomic and Proteomic Approaches to the Analyses of Orf Virus and its Ankyrin Repeat Proteins
In common with other poxviruses, orf virus (ORFV) is believed to induce drastic changes in the host intracellular environment through expression of an arsenal of virulence factors. The ankyrin repeat (ANK) proteins are ... -
Understanding antimicrobial and antiseptic resistance relationships in Staphylococcus aureus
Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic pathogen that causes skin infections, bacteraemia, and endocarditis in humans. In New Zealand, the common lineage of S. aureus is the ST1 lineage which harbours a fusidic acid ... -
Developing Plasmodium cynomolgi culture as a model to investigate antimalarial effects on Plasmodium vivax
The ability to culture pathogenic organisms enables researchers to understand the biology of the organism which aids in the development of vaccines and drugs. Hence the establishment of the protocol for the in vitro ... -
Antibacterial properties of lactic acid bacteria for meat bio-preservation
Some lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are capable of growing on stored meat and inhibiting pathogenic and spoilage bacteria of concern to the meat industry using a range of mechanisms including general competition and/or the ... -
Inhibitory Receptor Expression by T Cells in Colorectal Tumours
Inhibitory receptor (iR) expression is a hallmark of T cell dysfunction. In situations of chronic antigen exposure, such as in a tumour, antigen-specific T cells undergo a shift in programming, which makes them more ... -
Investigations into the roles of two flavoproteins in mycobacterial physiology
Members of the genus Mycobacterium contain species that are adapted to thrive under a wide variety of environmental conditions. A key factor in the life cycle of mycobacteria is their ability to persist in the absence of ... -
Understanding the genetic basis for competitive nodule formation by clover rhizobia
Clovers enter a symbiotic relationship with particular rhizobia through a highly specific and complex signal exchange culminating in the formation of nitrogen-fixing root nodules. Legumes exude flavonoids that are perceived ... -
Investigation of Orf virus resistance to interferon
The interferon (IFN) effector response is induced in cells through the JAK/STAT signaling pathway by type 1, type 2 and type 3 IFNs. This results in the upregulation of hundreds of genes, many of which are involved in ... -
BCG impact on Innate Lymphoid Cells: Determining the Site of Proliferation
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious lung disease that is a major cause of mortality, causing an estimated 1.7 million deaths globally per year. The current prophylactic vaccine used against TB, bacille Calmette Guérin (BCG), ... -
Disarming tissue factor: generating a model tumour antigen
Coagulative abnormalities are a well-recognised feature of malignancy. The risk of developing thrombotic disorders is increased four-fold in cancer patients and more than six-fold higher in those receiving chemotherapy. ...