04 Nov 2020
Immunologist awarded federal funding to unravel T cell biology
University of Melbourne Dr Nicholas Gherardin, Postdoctoral Fellow at the Doherty Institute, has been awarded almost half a million dollars ($462,948) in Federal Government funding for his research into understanding the biology of T cells.
The funding was awarded under the Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) scheme through the Australian Research Council, backing Dr Gherardin with salary support for three years.
The project untangles a specialised subset of T cells, known as gamma-delta T cells, that are critical to detecting infection and cancer, yet remain poorly understood.
“T cells play a significant role in our immune system, monitoring the body’s molecular signals to detect fragments of bacteria, viruses or tumours,” said Dr Gherardin.
“When discovered, they provoke a T cell response that orchestrates a powerful attack on the infection or tumour, which is a central event in immunity.”
While T Cells were discovered more than 30 years ago, gamma-delta T cells represent a ‘black box’ in human physiology and a missing link in our understanding of immunity.
This project aims to unravel their elusive biology, looking to understand the diversity in function between gamma-delta T cell subsets, as well as the receptors and molecules that these receptors detect.
“Little is known about these cells and their specificity and function, representing a major gap in our knowledge of immunology and physiology.
“Unlocking their secrets could provide a crucial opportunity to harness their therapeutic potential and improve human health.”