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Gamma delta cells and immunosurveillance

Objective

Epithelia are potentially vulnerable to infection and environmentally induced mutation. Although there unwell-established ideas for how the immune system may protect epithelia, they fail to mention intraepithelialymphocytes (ells) that are one of the largest T cell compartments. Gamma delta cells contribute to a large part to these ells. The properties of gamma delta cells seem to place them midway the adaptive and innate immune response.
The host laboratory has recently obtained evidence that gamma delta ells provide bothimmunoprotection and immunoregulation within epithelia: this proposal asks how. There are two aims: in the first, candidate genes will be identified by comparative Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE); in the second the contribution of particular genes to IEL activities in vitro and in vivo will be examined (e.g. by RNA interference).The results should provide a much-improved understanding of epithelial immunosurveillance.The experience profile of David Vermilion (e.g. NK cell background, experiences with ransoms, confocalmicroscopy and apoptosis assays) can clearly add value to the applied project. Equally clear are the benefits for David Vermilion to be gained from his participation in the proposed project Gamma delta cells andimmunosurveillance. He will be trained in advanced techniques like SAGE, he will learn to work with knockout animal models and he will acquire the RNA interference technique. Thus the experience of David Vermilion on the one hand and the training possibilities offered at the Laboratory of Adrian Heyday on the other hand, are complementary. This will result in a synergistic effect and therefore enhance the scientific excellence of the European Union.

Call for proposal

FP6-2002-MOBILITY-5
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Coordinator

KING'S COLLEGE LONDON
EU contribution
No data
Address
Strand
LONDON
United Kingdom

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Total cost
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