Protein trafficking and inflammation
We are discovering new genes, proteins and cellular pathways that help us understand how inflammation is turned on and off in immune cells
Inflammation is an important defence against infection but it can also contribute to chronic diseases, like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, and to kidney, lung, vascular and bowel diseases, and importantly, to cancer.
Immune cells, including macrophages, release cytokines or messengers that can over-stimulate immune responses in acute infection, causing a ‘cytokine storm’ , or they can continuously active inflammation causing tissue damage in chronic disease.
Our goal is to identify molecules and pathways that can be targeted with new or existing drugs to modulate inflammation in many disease situatios
As molecular cell biologists we are interested in the cellular pathways for cytokine secretion and for pathogen recognition and surveillance that contribute to inflammation.
Macropinocytosis is a ‘drinking and eating’ pathway for many cells. It is important for the pathogen-mediated activation of macrophages and it can be upregulated in cancer to sustain the survival of cancer cells.
Dissecting differential regulators for the control of macropinocytosis is of particular prevalence in our current research.
We partner with other groups in the IMB Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research and others around the world, for multidisciplinary research.
Group leader
Professor Jenny Stow
Group Leader, Protein trafficking and inflammation
Deputy Director (Research), Institute for Molecular Bioscience
+61 7 334 62110
j.stow@imb.uq.edu.au
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Stories
- IMB researchers have discovered a molecular trigger for inflammation that could lead to new treatments for rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and neurodegenerative diseases. Professor Jennifer Stow said targeting this trigger - a protein called SCIMP, could reduce or ‘switch off’ inflammation.
- A $2.3M grant from Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF) is being awarded to UQ IMB today to establish the new ACRF Cancer Ultrastructure and Function Facility (CUFF). The nation-leading facility will provide cutting-edge imaging capabilities for tracking and visualising cancer.
- Research to investigate drug leads for cholesterol, antibiotics for drug-resistant bacteria, cardiovascular development, and inflammation are just some of the innovative projects at UQ’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) to receive new funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).
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