Team
Reports and Findings
Anti-Interleukin-10 Unleashes Transcriptional Response to Leishmanial Antigens in Visceral Leishmaniasis Patients
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL; Leishmania donovani) cases produce interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor in response to soluble leishmanial antigen in whole-blood assays. Using transcriptional profiling, we demonstrate the impact of interleukin-10, a cytokine implicated in VL, on this response.
Published research Genetics and HealthCommon and Rare Genetic Variants That Could Contribute to Severe Otitis Media in an Australian Aboriginal Population
Our goal was to identify genetic risk factors for severe otitis media (OM) in Aboriginal Australians.
Published research Ear Infections Aboriginal Health Computational Biology Genetics and HealthReduced socs1 expression in lung fibroblasts from patients with ipf is not mediated by promoter methylation or mir155
The interleukin (IL)-6 family of cytokines and exaggerated signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)3 signaling is implicated in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) pathogenesis, but the mechanisms regulating STAT3 expression and function are unknown. Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)1 and SOCS3 block STAT3, and low SOCS1 levels have been reported in IPF fibroblasts and shown to facilitate collagen production. Fibroblasts and lung tissue from IPF patients and controls were used to examine the mechanisms underlying SOCS1 down-regulation in IPF.
Published research Genetics and Health Airway Epithelial ResearchZika Virus Changes Methylation of Genes Involved in Immune Response and Neural Development in Brazilian Babies Born With Congenital Microcephaly
The recent increase in babies born with brain and eye malformations in Brazil is associated with Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in utero. ZIKV alters host DNA methylation in vitro. Using genome-wide DNA methylation profiling we compared 18 babies born with congenital ZIKV microcephaly with 20 controls. We found ZIKV-associated alteration of host methylation patterns, notably at RABGAP1L which is important in brain development, at viral host immunity genes MX1 and ISG15, and in an epigenetic module containing the causal microcephaly gene MCPH1. Our data support the hypothesis that clinical signs of congenital ZIKV are associated with changes in DNA methylation.
Published research Academic Biostatistics Infectious Diseases Genetics and Health