Immunology
The focus of our current research is on the role the immune system plays in various diseases such as inflammatory arthritis of the spine in the form of ankylosing spondylitis and its association with the HLA class I allele HLA-B27 and also in immuno-oncology, where immune responses frequently fail to eradicate tumour cells despite evidence of immune reactivity.
The role played by extracellular vesicles/exosomes in this process and also as potential diagnostic indicators of cancer are being explored. In addition, the antigenic peptides being presented to cytotoxic T cells during COVID-19 is a new active area under investigation to assist with the development of the next generation of vaccines that will hopefully provide both robust antibody and T cell responses (Powis).
