Microbiology and Immunology
Recent Deposits
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Genetic manipulation of Plasmodium cynomolgi as a model for investigating Plasmodium vivax drug resistance
Plasmodium vivax is the most widely distributed cause of human malaria, and thought to be the most difficult to diagnose and treat. Until recently this species has largely been neglected compared to the most significant ... -
Strategies to enhance CAR T cell function in solid tumours utilising coding and non-coding genes
Cancer immunotherapy has emerged as an effective treatment to provide benefits to cancer patients. One of the main treatment modalities of cancer immunotherapy is the adoptive transfer of T cells with genetically engineered ... -
Mechanisms of bactericidal action and β-lactam synergy by the zinc ionophore PBT2
The emergence and global spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasingly serious threat to human and veterinary medicine. Driven by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, resistance to our antibiotic armoury ... -
High Dimensional Analysis of Myeloid Cells in Colorectal Cancer
Development of immune therapy requires an in-depth knowledge of immune cells, how they act in a tumour, and how they can be manipulated. Colorectal cancer (CRC) patients have shown less favourable outcomes with immune ... -
Characterization of the Potential Antiviral Activity of Peptides and Peptoids against Influenza A Virus and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has caused worldwide panic during 2020. To date SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, has caused 1 million deaths and infected over 35 million people in under ... -
Tumour Necrosis Factor Signalling Heterogeneity in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is chronic, heterogeneous diseases characterised by excess inflammation in the gastrointestinal system and a dysfunctional mucosal immune response. Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is a ... -
Mucosal-associated invariant T cell regulation by bacterial signalling and immunometabolism
Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are a subset of antibacterial innate-like T cells that are localised to mucosal surfaces. MAIT cells are characterised by the expression of a semi-invariant T cell receptor, ... -
Enhancing the persistence and memory of CAR T cells
CAR T cell therapy has revolutionized cancer treatment, but has also provided an opportunity for treating chronic viral infections such as HIV, HBV, and HCV. Despite the profound outcomes in the treatment of hematological ... -
Investigating the invasion biology of Plasmodium vivax using its sister species, Plasmodium cynomolgi
The erythrocytic stages of the relapsing human malaria parasite, Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax), preferentially invades immature CD71+ reticulocytes. This strict tropism for nascent reticulocytes is the primary reason for the ... -
Thermal Selection of Seneca Valley Virus Gives Rise to a Novel Thermostable Mutant
This project aimed to improve the stability of the novel oncolytic virus, Seneca Valley virus (SVV). This was with the overarching goal of determining the residues and mutations thereof within the viral capsid that are ... -
Crohn's disease: an in vitro analysis of T lymphocyte function and response to commensal microbes
Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic, relapsing inflammation of the intestine. Approximately 0.5% of the western world is estimated to suffer from the disease. Crohn’s disease, a type of inflammatory bowel disease, ... -
ORFV virus manipulation of type I interferon expression
Orf virus (ORFV) is the type species of the Parapoxvirus genus that belongs to the Poxviridae family. ORFV is an epitheliotropic virus inducing cutaneous pustular skin lesions in sheep and goats and is transmissible to ... -
Bidirectional promoters for the use of CAR T cell therapy
Cancer is currently a leading cause of death in the world, with 9.6 million deaths in 2018 alone according to the Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN). Conventional methods such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, ... -
Community assembly drivers shift from bottom-up to top-down in a maturing in situ marine biofilm model
Technological advances have promoted the identification of microbial community compositions, but the underlying assembly mechanisms and rules governing successions remain poorly studied and understood. Previous studies ... -
Structural insights into oncolytic Seneca Valley Virus capsid and receptor interactions
Oncolytic viruses (OVs) are replication competent agents that selectively target cancer cells. Seneca Valley Virus (SVV) is a newly-discovered oncolytic picornavirus which is classified as the sole member in the genus ... -
Ion homeostasis in Mycobacterium smegmatis
Microorganisms must maintain equilibrium and intracellular availability of ions for growth and persistence in a range of environments, either in the face of scarce resources or excesses, whereby they must buffer, exclude ... -
Manipulation of the host cell cycle by murine norovirus VPg
Human norovirus (HuNV) is a leading cause of acute gastroenteritis worldwide. Despite advances in HuNV cell culture the virus remains difficult to study in the laboratory. Murine norovirus (MNV) is routinely utilised as a ... -
Genetic Evaluation of ESBL E. coli Urinary Isolates in Otago
The incidence of infections with extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli in New Zealand is increasing. ESBL E. coli most commonly cause urinary tract infections and are seen in both community and hospital ... -
Chemical and microbial determinants of N2O emission from denitrification in pasture soils
Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas and ozone depleter accounting for 6.2% of globally emitted CO2 equivalents. Denitrification, the microbial reduction of NO3->NO2->NO->N2O->N2, is a significant source of N2O ... -
The antiviral mechanism and viral antagonism of host histone deacetylase 4 in influenza A virus infection
Influenza virus continues to be an important global pathogen which poses serious health and economic challenges. Influenza virus causes regular seasonal epidemics, intermittent and unpredictable pandemics and deadly zoonotic ...