research

allergy & immune disorders

summary

Our immune system is responsible for maintaining tolerance to substances in the environment or within the body (so we do not react to these), while at the same time protecting us against infections. If these functions are disrupted, we can develop allergic or autoimmune diseases, or serious infections.
Allergic diseases such as eczema, food allergy and asthma are theost common chronic diseases affecting Australian children (up to 1 in 3). In recent decades, there has been a rapid increase in Allergic disease and the incidence continues to rise at an alarming rate.  It's important to understand why and how this increase is occurring.  Our research concerns understanding the immune abnormalities that lead to allergic diseases such as eczema and food allergy; and also identifying novel treatment or prevention strategies.
Globally, invasive pneumococcal disease remains the commonest cause of death in children under 5 years of age. Our indigenous Australian population have one of the highest rates of IPD worldwide. Our research seeks to understand immune responses to pneumococcal bacteria and to improving pneumococcal vaccination for high risk populations such as indigenous Australians.

group leader(s)

  A/Professor Mimi TangMimi Tang
  Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
  Royal Children's Hospital
  Flemington Road
  Parkville
  Victoria 3052

  T +61 3 9345 5911
  E mimi.tang@mcri.edu.au

group leader biography

current research projects

Project 1: probiotic and oral Immunothearpy for the treatment of Peanut allergy

We are investigating an exciting new treatment for peanut allergy - combined probiotic and peanut oral immunotherapy. The aim is to reprogram the immune response to peanut by presenting the peanut protein together with an immune modifying adjuvant. As part of the study we collect blood and fecal samples to investigate the immune changes that drive the resolution of food allergy, and the intestinal microbiota profiles that are associated with acuqisiotn of tolerance. We have recently been awarded an NHMRC project grant to study the specific genes that are associated with tolerance induction. If this approach is found to be effective, we will have identified a curative treatment for peanut allergy, and provided a proof of principle for the treatment of other food allergies.

Project 2:  Understanding airway remodelling in asthma

Airway remodelling describes structural changes in the airway wall that contribute to loss of lung function in childhood asthma and severe and persistent asthma throughout adulthood. The mechanisams regulating airway remodelling remain poorly understood. We have found that relaxin is a critical inhibitor of airway fibrosis and airway remodelling in asthma and we are investigating its potential use as a treatment to restore normal airway structure and function in asthma. We are also studying the role of epithelial damage and repair in the remodelling process, and the potential of Trefoil Factor 2 (TFF2)  an epithelial repair molecule , as a treatment for airway remodelling. This work has been funded by an NHMRC grant (2009-2011).

Project 3: Investigation of alternative regimes for pneumococcal vaccination in infants

A collaborative study with the Pneumococcal Research Group aims to identify a cost effective vaccination program, to protect children against this disease. As part of ongoing large clinical trials, our laboratory  examines the immune response to pneumococcal vaccine with the ultimate aim of facilitating improved protection against pneumococcal disease through more effective vaccination approaches. This work has been funded by NHMRC, NIH and Gates Foundation grants.

team members

  • Christine Axelrad - Research Assistant
  • Samar Babkair - Masters Biotechnology (RMIT Applied Sci)
  • Anne Balloch - Research Fellow
  • Patrick Chong - VISITING ACADEMIC
  • Kate Coombs - Study Coordinator
  • Lakshi Dewage - Research Assistant
  • Bircan Erbas - HONORARY RESEARCH FELLOW
  • Angela Guzys - Research Assistant
  • Ralf Heine - HONORARY FELLOW
  • David Hill - RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
  • Intan Ismail - PhD Student (UoM Paeds)
  • Cassandra Lee - Honours Student (UoM Path)
  • Lucy Leeming - Visitor
  • Paul Licciardi - Research Officer
  • Rachel Marimla - Honours Student (UoM Paeds)
  • Nicole Milne - Research Assistant
  • Monica Nation - Honours Student (UoM Paeds)
  • Margaret Ong - Research Assistant
  • Frances Oppedisano - Laboratory Manager
  • Molly O'Sullivan - Research Assistant
  • Hamish Philpott - Volunteer
  • Simon Royce - Research Officer
  • Lyn Su - Research Officer
  • Leena Tikkanen - RESEARCH ASSISTANT
  • Ryan Toh - Research Assistant
  • Stephanie Tortorella - Honours Student (UoM Paeds)
  • Nursen Turker - Honours Student (UoM Path)
  • Don Vicendese - PhD Student (LaTrobe)

publications

  • Garland SM., Tobin JM., Pirotta M., Tabrizi SN., Opie G., Donath S., Tang ML., Morley CJ., Hickey L., Ung L., Jacobs SE., ProPrems Study Group. The ProPrems trial: investigating the effects of probiotics on late onset sepsis in very preterm infants. BMC INFECTIOUS DISEASES 11 (2011) PubMed
  • Ismail IH., Oppedisano F., Joseph SJ., Boyle RJ., Robins-Browne RM., Tang ML. Prenatal administration of Lactobacillus rhamnosus has no effect on the diversity of the early infant gut microbiota. PEDIATRIC ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY (2011)
  • Koplin JJ., Tang ML., Martin PE., Osborne NJ., Lowe AJ., Ponsonby AL., Robinson MN., Tey D., Thiele L., Hill DJ., Gurrin LC., Wake M., Dharmage SC., Allen KJ., HealthNuts investigators. Predetermined challenge eligibility and cessation criteria for oral food challenges in the HealthNuts population-based study of infants. JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY (2011) PubMed
  • Kwa FAA., Balcerczyk A., Licciardi P., El-Osta A., Karagiannis TC. Chromatin modifying agents - the cutting edge of anticancer therapy. DRUG DISCOVERY TODAY 16 : 543 - 547(2011) PubMed
  • Licciardi PV., Balloch A., Russell FM., Nahm MH., Mulholland K., Tang MLK. Pneumococcal glycoconjugate vaccines produce antibody responses that strongly correlate with function. NATURE REVIEWS DRUG DISCOVERY 10 (5) : 394 - 395(2011) PubMed
  • Licciardi PV., Tang ML. Vaccine adjuvant properties of probiotic bacteria. Discovery Medicine 12 (67) : 525 - 533(2011) PubMed
  • Licciardi PV., Underwood JR. Plant-derived medicines: A novel class of immunological adjuvants. INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY 11 (3) : 390 - 398(2011) PubMed
  • Licciardi PV., Ververis K., Karagiannis TC. Histone deactylase inhibition and dietary short chain fatty acids. ISRN Allergy (2011)
  • Lodge CJ., Lowe AJ., Gurrin LC., Hill DJ., Hosking CS., Khalafzai RU., Hopper JL., Matheson MC., Abramson MJ., Allen KJ., Dharmage SC. House dust mite sensitization in toddlers predicts current wheeze at age 12 years. JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY 128 (4) : 782 - 788(2011) PubMed
  • Lowe AJ., Hosking CS., Bennett CM., Allen KJ., Axelrad C., Carlin JB., Abramson MJ., Dharmage SC., Hill DJ. Effect of a partially hydrolyzed whey infant formula at weaning on risk of allergic disease in high-risk children: A randomized controlled trial. JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY 128 (2) : 360 - 365(2011) PubMed
  • Mullins RJ., Tang MLK., Dear K. Restricted elimination diet for ADHD. LANCET 377 (9777) : 1567 - 1567(2011) PubMed
  • Osborne NJ., Koplin JJ., Martin PE., Gurrin LC., Lowe AJ., Matheson MC., Ponsonby AL., Wake M., Tang MLK., Dharmage SC., Allen KJ. Prevalence of challenge-proven IgE-mediated food allergy using population-based sampling and predetermined challenge criteria in infants. JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY 127 (3) : 668 (2011) PubMed
  • Powell CVE., Priestley SJ., Young S., Heine RG. Randomized clinical trial of rapid versus 24-hour rehydration for children with acute gastroenteritis. PEDIATRICS 128 (4) (2011) PubMed
  • Royce SG., Dang W., Ververis K., de Sampayo N., El Osta A., Tang MLK., Karagiannis TC. Protective effects of valproic acid against airway hyperresponsiveness and airway remodeling in a mouse model of allergic airways disease. EPIGENETICS 6 (12) : 1463 - 1470(2011)
  • Royce SG., Dang W., Yuan G., Tran J., El Osta A., Karagiannis TC., Tang MLK. Resveratrol has protective effects against airway remodeling and airway hyperreactivity in a murine model of allergic airways disease. Pathobiology of Aging & Age-related Diseases 1 : 7134 (2011)
  • Royce SG., Lim C., Muljadi RC., Tang ML. Trefoil factor 2 regulates airway remodeling in animal models of asthma. Journal of Asthma 48 (7) : 653 - 659(2011) PubMed
  • Royce SG., Ververis K., Karagiannis TC. Controversies surrounding the potential use of histone deactylase inhibitors for the treatment of asthma. Pulmonology (2011)
  • Russell FM., Balloch A., Licciardi PV., Carapetis JR., Tikoduadua L., Waqatakirewa L., Cheung YB., Mulholland EK., Tang MLK. Serotype-specific avidity is achieved following a single dose of the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, and is enhanced by 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide booster at 12 months. VACCINE 29 (27) : 4499 - 4506(2011) PubMed
  • Sackesen C., Assa'ad A., Baena-Cagnani C., Ebisawa M., Fiocchi A., Heine RG., Von Berg A., Kalayci O. Cow's milk allergy as a global challenge. CURRENT OPINION IN ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY 11 (3) : 243 - 248(2011) PubMed

competitive funding

National Health & Medical Research Council
National Institute of Health
Gates Foundation