Development of new therapies and prevention strategies against disease hinges on a detailed understanding of how humans respond to infection and how microbes adapt to this.
A major focus of the Doherty Institute is in discovery research, which aims to elucidate fundamental biological principles through the use of cutting edge technologies and innovative approaches.
Researchers are investigating how immune cells, such as dendritic cells and conventional T cells, recognise pathogens and their products at the molecular level, and how they interact and respond to them in different parts of the body. Major efforts are being made towards disentangling the underlying genetics and the biology of receptors used by natural killer cells and non-conventional T cells in the interaction between host and microbe.
Promoting a vibrant discovery research program is absolutely vital in enabling us to answer the problems and challenges in infection and immunity research that we are constantly facing.