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Research
Beneficial health effects of ultraviolet radiation: expert review and conference reportCarcinogenic effects of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) with reference to skin cancer are the basis of widely implemented recommendations to avoid sun exposure. Whether the benefits of "restrictive sun policies" outweigh their potential harms due to diminished beneficial effects of sunlight exposure remain a matter of controversy.
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Reduced Type-I Interferon by Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells and Asthma in School-Aged ChildrenAllergic sensitization and reduced ability to respond to viral infections may contribute to virus-induced wheeze and asthma development in young children. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) are rare immune cells that produce type I interferons (IFN-I) and play a key role in orchestrating immune responses against viruses.
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Genetic variants of TLR4, including the novel variant, rs5030719, and related genes are associated with susceptibility to clinical malaria in African childrenMalaria is a deadly disease caused by Plasmodium spp. Several blood phenotypes have been associated with malarial resistance, which suggests a genetic component to immune protection.
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Associations between the human immune system and gut microbiome with neurodevelopment in the first 5 years of life: A systematic scoping reviewThe aim of this review was to map the literature assessing associations between maternal or infant immune or gut microbiome biomarkers and child neurodevelopmental outcomes within the first 5 years of life. We conducted a PRISMA-ScR compliant review of peer-reviewed, English-language journal articles.
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Role of stem cell precursors in tissuesWe have recently published a paper identifying precursor populations in peripheral lung (2017), and have also discovered that these populations can be found in multiple tissues.
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Mapping changes in immune cell populations in gestational tissues over the course of pregnancyThis is a strategic “pilot” project in which we are seeking basic information on the immune cell content of gestational tissues.
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Boosting airway T-regulatory cells by gastrointestinal stimulation as a strategy for asthma controlThe hallmark of atopic asthma is transient airways hyperresponsiveness (AHR) preceded by aeroallergen-induced Th-cell activation.
The Pregnancy and Early Life Immunology team's overall research vision is targeted towards understanding immunological development during early life.
Research
Epigenetic changes underpinning allergen sensitization: a twin-based studyWe are studying immune cells from identical twins of which one suffers and one does not suffer from allergic disease to identify specific mechanisms that may play important roles in disease development.