General aims
Our lab aims to understand:
1-How human inflammasomes and the proteases they activate (caspases) are regulated?
2-How inflammatory caspases generate inflammation during infections and inflammatory diseases?
3- How cell death modalities control infections and inflammatory diseases outcomes?
We generate fundamental knowledge and collaborate to translate our discoveries for patient's benefit.
Understand the molecular basis of pathogen sensing by inflammasomes
The non-canonical inflammasome is critical for immune responses to gram-negative bacteria. It has a role in numerous diseases, including sepsis. However, we have a poor understanding of how this protein complex detect infection and what are the consequences of its inhibition.
Funders: BBSRC/ White Rose DTP
Identifying novel functions for human inflammasome
Known inflammasome's functions are currently limited to their ability to cleave pro-inflammatory cytokines and induce inflammatory cell death (pyroptosis). This project aims to identify novel functions for human inflammasome and their roles in infections and inflammatory diseases.
Funder: MRC
Understanding the activation mechanisms of caspases
Aim: To understand how inflammatory caspases are activated
Funders: Academy of Medical Sciences/ Wellcome Trust
Understanding inflammasome in human cells
Inflammasomes are extensively characterised in macrophages but poorly in other cells. This project aims to better understand inflammasome in less-characterised immune cells and develop tools to study them.
Funders: Royal Society/MRC
Understanding the interplay between pathogens, cell death and inflammasomes
Identifying mechanisms enabling pathogen to evade immune responses.
