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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: 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.