Download Immunology and Infection Unit

Centre for Immunology and Infection
The Centre for Immunology and Infection Unit (CII) is a joint research unit
created by the Hull York Medical School and the Department of Biology at the
University of York. It is led by Professor Paul Kaye and conducts research into
the pathogenesis of infectious disease, integrating the study of basic
immunology, microbiology, and parasitology to develop a greater understanding
of the processes underlying infection and disease.
The CII occupies its own building adjacent to the Biology Department of the
University of York, and comprises 650m2 of purpose-built laboratories, office
space and seminar rooms. Research facilities include a suite of four ACDP CL3
laboratories. The nearby Biological Services Facility provides experimental
accommodation up to ACDP CL3, quarantine facilities, an X-ray source for
generating chimeras and an IVIS luciferase biophotonic imaging system.
Research in the Unit is further supported by the exceptional resources provided
by the JIF-funded Technology Facility (see below).
The research base in the Centre comprises six research groups:
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Professor Paul Kaye’s research group focuses mainly on the immunology
of visceral leishmaniasis. A major theme is the regulation of tissue-specific
immunity and immunopathology following infection with Leishmania
donovani, and the research concentrates on the role played by antigen
presenting cells in these events.
Professor Deborah Smith’s group focuses on parasitic protozoa that give
rise to some of the most widespread human diseases. The research
focuses mainly on the Leishmaniases, caused by species of the
kinetoplastid parasite Leishmania that live intracellularly in cells of the
immune system. The long-term aims are to understand host/parasite
interactions and to develop novel drugs and vaccines.
Dr Marjan van der Woude’s group is interested in determining what traits
allow bacteria to be successful in their environment, with a focus on
examining bacterial gene regulation and physiology in a model system
and in human pathogens. Her group is interested both in elucidating novel
aspects at a basic level of regulatory mechanisms, as well as studying
processes in complex populations.
Dr Marika Kullberg’s research programme focuses on the immunology of
inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and the mechanisms by which mucosal
immune responses are initiated and regulated in the intestinal tract.
Dr Mark Coles is researching the development and function of the immune
system using fluorescent proteins to study molecular and cellular
interactions between cells in the immune system.
Dr Nathalie Signoret is researching how chemokine receptors influence
the functional properties of mononuclear phagocytes, with a particular
interest in the molecular mechanisms regulating chemokine receptor
activity and chemokine control of basic cellular function.
CII staff are very successful in obtaining research funding with a total of £4.99M
having been awarded since 2005.
Further details of ongoing research projects can be found at
http://www.york.ac.uk/res/cii.
Research in CII is integrated with that of other scientists in the Department of
Biology that also work on “Infection and Immunity”, providing an exciting and
dynamic environment to study pathogens and the immune response. The
diversity of the pathogen world is well represented across the Department, with
research on viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and helminth worms; the technology
base extends from cutting-edge molecular biology to the cellular complexity
underlying tissue remodeling. The goals of our research include dissecting the
fundamental principles associated with a pathogenic lifestyle and the host
immune response, and using this information to develop new tools for diagnosis,
vaccination and therapy for important human diseases.