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Research

Gene-vitamin D interactions on food sensitization: A prospective birth cohort study

It has been hypothesized that vitamin D deficiency (VDD) contributes to the development of food sensitization (FS) and then food allergy.

Asthma

Respiratory disease is a global issue and international networks are critical to informing best-practice approaches to the clinical care and management of childhood respiratory health.

News & Events

Sunny outlook for allergy-prone bub

Felix was one of 195 children to take part in Dr Debbie Palmer’s research into sunlight exposure, vitamin D and eczema.

Research

Circulating Memory B Cells in Early Multiple Sclerosis Exhibit Increased IgA+ Cells, Globally Decreased BAFF-R Expression and an EBV-Related IgM+ Cell Signature

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated inflammatory disease of the central nervous system that results in demyelination of axons, inefficient signal transmission and reduced muscular mobility. Recent findings suggest that B cells play a significant role in disease development and pathology. To further explore this, B cell profiles in peripheral blood from 28 treatment-naive patients with early MS were assessed using flow cytometry and compared to 17 healthy controls.

Research

UV exposure and protection against allergic airways disease

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the small and large conducting airway mucosa characterised by Th2 cell immunity.

Research

Altered immunity and dendritic cell activity in the periphery of mice after long-term engraftment with bone marrow from ultraviolet-irradiated mice

To investigate the immune capabilities of peripheral tissue DCs generated in vivo from the BM of UV-irradiated mice, chimeric mice were established.

Research

IFNβ inhibits the development of allergen tolerance and is conducive to the development of asthma on subsequent allergen exposure

Data indicate a role for Interferonβ in linking viral infection and allergy

Research

Epstein–Barr virus infection, B-cell dysfunction and other risk factors converge in gut-associated lymphoid tissue to drive the immunopathogenesis of multiple sclerosis: a hypothesis

Multiple sclerosis is associated with Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection, B-cell dysfunction, gut dysbiosis, and environmental and genetic risk factors, including female sex.

Research

Toward homeostasis: Regulatory dendritic cells from the bone marrow of mice with inflammation

Inflammatory mediators from peripheral tissues may control dendritic cell (DC) development in the bone marrow.

Research

Metabolic dysfunction induced by a high-fat diet modulates hematopoietic stem and myeloid progenitor cells in brown adipose tissue of mice

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) may be an important metabolic regulator of whole-body glucose. While important roles have been ascribed to macrophages in regulating metabolic functions in BAT, little is known of the roles of other immune cells subsets, particularly dendritic cells (DCs). Eating a high-fat diet may compromise the development of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs)-which give rise to DCs-in bone marrow, with less known of its effects in BAT. We have previously demonstrated that ongoing exposure to low-dose ultraviolet radiation (UVR) significantly reduced the 'whitening' effect of eating a high-fat diet upon interscapular (i) BAT of mice.