University of Tasmania, Australia

Description

Cell stress can happen through a variety of agents including ionising radiation, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and failure of cellular homeostatic mechanisms.

The cell stress, inflammation and immunity program has ongoing projects concerning the molecular basis of DNA repair, effect of ER stress and autophagy in chronic intestinal inflammation and neurodegenerative disorders, as well as treatment strategies to  counter cellular stress  and reduce chronic inflammation.

Current research projects are:

• Treatment of ER stress in colonic and neuronal inflammation (R Eri, T Cook)
• Pathogenesis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Understanding the role of inflammasomes (R Eri)
• The role of secretory leucocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) in intestinal inflammation (R Eri)
• The intersection of oxidative stress and autophagy in neurodegenerative disease (T Cook)
• Mechanisms of antioxidant-induced reduction of oxidative stress caused by As (ET Snow)

Research Groups

• Oxidative stress and DNA Repair - Liza Snow
• Mucosal Immunology - Raj Eri
• Cell stress in neurodegenerative disorders - Tony Cook

TUNEL and Muc2 precursor (Goblet-cell specific) dual stained image from Winnie distal colon. Blue nuclei: DAPI. TUNEL-Muc2 positive cells are shown in circles.