Inflammation
Inflammation is the body’s natural response to infection, disease and tissue damage, and an integral part of the immune response. Abnormalities in the inflammatory response can lead to the development of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases.
Inflammation is now also recognised to be a key part of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, as well as diseases such as atherosclerosis and cancer.
Research Focus
- Rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases
- Innate immunity, including dendritic cells, macrophages and neutrophils
- Cytokines and the regulation of cytokine signalling
Division PhD and Honours research projects: 2013 intake
Overview
Inflammation is most commonly associated with pathogens such as bacteria and viruses and with tissue injury. Inflammation involves many cells of the immune system, with each cell type playing unique and important roles in the initiation, magnitude and resolution of the inflammatory response.
Our research aims to unravel the underlying genetic and cellular basis for inflammation leading to improved diagnosis and treatments for inflammatory diseases. The Inflammation division has an emphasis on innate immunity, cytokine signalling and the coordination of adaptive immune responses by dendritic cells.
The division has a strong clinical focus, led by Professor Ian Wicks, head of the Royal Melbourne Hospital Rheumatology Unit.
Approximately 1 in 3 Australians suffer from a chronic inflammatory disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis, with a significant social and economic burden on the community. Acute inflammatory diseases are typified by septic shock, a systemic inflammatory response syndrome commonly associated with infection and trauma, which causes over 1 million deaths each year in the developed world.
Faculty members
Professor Ian Wicks (Division Head)
Scientific Coordinator: Rhiannon Jones
Navigation
Sponsors
