The immunology and Infection laboratory studies malaria and leishmaniasis, two important parasitic diseases that affect millions of people around the world every year. Our research focuses on CD4+ T cells because of their central role in controlling anti-parasitic immunity. We use our discoveries to improve immune responses following vaccination or drug treatment with the aim of generating long-lasting immunity in communities to reduce the numbers of infections, and ultimately eliminate these diseases. Our findings relate to inflammation, and as such, our work also has important implications for developing treatments for infections, cancer and autoimmune diseases that impact thousands of Australians.
Children living in a rural village around Muzaffarpur in the state of Bihar, India. This area is endemic for visceral leishmaniasis and is typical of the environment where sand flies that transmit the parasites responsible for leishmaniasis thrive.
A ward in the Kala-Azar Medical Research Centre, a facility run by our colleague Professor Shyam Sundar that is dedicated to treating visceral leishmaniasis patients in Muzaffarpur in the state of Bihar, India.
Health workers screening villagers for asymptomatic infection with Leishmania donovani, the cause of visceral leishmaniasis, around Muzaffarpur in the state of Bihar, India.
Members of our team collecting blood samples for analysis in a rural village around Muzaffarpur in the state of Bihar, India.