Current Projects

• Macrophage-mediated regulation of inflammation 
  Submitted by William O'Connor  (Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States) 3/19/2010
  We are interested in studying the role of macrophages in coordinating inflammatory processes.



• virus-like particle vaccines 
  Submitted by Sang-Moo Kang  (Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States) 3/19/2010
  The projects are to develop vaccines based on virus-like particles produced using the insect cell expression system. We want to investigate the roles of dendritic cells and macrophages in inducing protective immunity after vaccination with non-replicating virus-like particles.



• Investigating the effects of RELM-alpha on macrophages in helminth infection  
  Submitted by Meera Nair  (University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States) 3/17/2010
  We have recently identified a critical role for the secreted protein RELM-alpha in limiting helminth-induced Th2 inflammation in the lung, but whether RELM-alpha acts on macrophages or T cells in vivo is unknown. Here we propose to test if macrophage depletion in RELM-alpha deficient mice can influence the helminth-induced inflammatory response.



• Influence of ABH antigen on plasma VWF levels 
  Submitted by Dafna Groeneveld  (LUMC, Leiden, Netherlands, The) 3/16/2010
  In order to better understand the clearance pathway(s) of VWF, we are studying the effect of macrophage depletion in VWF deficient mice on the clearance of human pd-VWF.
  More: http://www.lumc.nl/con/4010/



• Macrophages in bacterial clearance 
  Submitted by admar verschoor  (Inst f. Med. Mikrobio, Immuno, u Hyg., München, Germany) 3/16/2010
  we aim to deplete Mf systemically to study the effect on baterial clearance



• Microglia and synapses 
  Submitted by Satoru Kondo  (Department of Cellular Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan) 3/16/2010
  In the central nervous system glia has been regarded as the supportive cells. However recent studies indicate that glia can affect on synapses and regulate their functions. We are interested in the relationship between the microglial activity and the dynamics of synapses. We would like to see whether the spines, where most of the excitatory synapses are made, could be affected when microglia is activated compared to control. Further we would like to deplete microglia and see whether change of synapses could occur under the microglia-free condition. For this purpose we would like to test chlodronate liposome.



• Fetal gene therapy 
  Submitted by Ahad Rahim  (University College London, London, United Kingdom) 3/15/2010
  We are testing the hypothesis that fetal administration of adenovirus can be rendered more efficient by clodronate administration in utero



• Role of peritoneal macrophages in immune surveillance 
  Submitted by Susannah McBride  (Haemophilia Centre and Thrombosis Unit, London, United Kingdom) 3/15/2010
  We want to use clodronate liposomes to deplete peritoneal macrophages, and compare to the efficiency of gadolinium chloride-mediated macrophage depletion.



• NK in lymph nodes 
  Submitted by alfonso martin-fontecha  (King's College London, London, United Kingdom) 3/15/2010
  Our lab is interested in studying the role of myeloid cells in promoting NK cell recruitment into lymph nodes and differentiation into an effector, cytokine-producing phenotype.
  More: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/schools/medicine/research/diiid/depts/nephrology/people/investigators/martin-fontecha.html



• Dermal Tregs in Leishmania 
  Submitted by David Chou  (NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States) 3/15/2010
  We are seeking to determine the targets of Treg action in the skin during cutaneous leishmaniasis. Clodronate liposomes will be used to deplete macrophages and test the effect on Treg motility in the skin.