We urgently need new treatments for fungal infections
We need to find more and better targets for antifungal drugs, so we can widen the choice available in the clinic. Understanding how antifungal drug resistance develops, particularly in the environment, is also necessary. Alternative treatments which boost the antifungal immune response can help shorten the time patients need to take antifungal drugs, which in turn can slow down the rates of drug resistance.
Our vision
Our aim is to create a supportive and creative environment to train scientists and develop the next generation of fungal immunologists and medical mycologists. Through this commitment to quality training and a positive research culture, we will work as a team to generate high quality research findings that will someday benefit patients and their families.
Current research priorities
Research in our group is divided into two main areas of enquiry:
Neuroimmunology of cryptococcal meningitis: We focus on how the immune response attacks the causative agent of this disease (Cryptococcus neoformans) and how the fungus adapts to a lifestyle in the brain, particularly how this might fuel the development of drug resistance. This work is done in close collaboration with our colleagues at the University of Cape Town. These projects are funded by the Medical Research Council, The Lister Institute for Preventative Medicine and the Wellcome Trust.
Immune evasion of the yeast Candida albicans: Our expertise in organ-specific immunology is used to understand how Candida escapes the immune response, and why this is different between tissues including the kidney, liver and intestines. This work is done in close collaboration with our colleagues at the University of Kent and is funded by the Wellcome Trust.
Contact us
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