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Department of Pathology

 

Research

MHC antigen presentation.

MHC molecules alert the immune system to the presence of infection by presenting short peptide fragments, derived from proteins associated with pathogens to T cells. In general peptides generated from proteins present in the cytosol are presented by MHC class I molecules and peptides generated from proteins accessing the endocytic pathway are presented by MHC II molecules. Two intracellular antigen processing pathways have evolved to allow efficient presentation of peptides from these different locations. Remarkably, many of the components of both antigen processing pathways are encoded within a single genetic locus on human chromosome 6, the Major Histocompatibility Complex. My research is focused on MHC encoded molecules that play roles in these different antigen presentation pathways. Given their importance in controlling infection these molecules are often targeted by pathogens wishing to evade immune detection.

Collaborators     Professor John Trowsdale, Professor Jim Kaufman

Publications

Key publications: 

Jackson, N., Compton, E., Trowsdale, J. and Kelly, A. P., Recognition of Salmonella by Dectin-1 induces presentation of peptide antigen to type B T cells. Eur J Immunol. 2014. 44: 962-969

Jackson, N. P., Kang, Y. H., Lapaque, N., Janssen, H., Trowsdale, J. and Kelly, A. P., Salmonella polarises peptide-MHC-II presentation towards an unconventional Type B CD4+ T-cell response. Eur J Immunol. 2013. 43: 897-906.

Jahnke, M., Trowsdale, J. and Kelly, A. P., Ubiquitination of HLA-DO by MARCH family E3 ligases. Eur J Immunol. 2013. 43: 1153-1161.

Jahnke, M., Trowsdale, J. and Kelly, A. P., Ubiquitination of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DM by different membrane-associated  RING-CH (MARCH) protein family E3 ligases targets different endocytic pathways. J Biol Chem. 2012. 287: 7256-7264.

Teaching and Supervisions

Teaching: 

Part IB MedST, VetST and NST: Biology of Disease course organiser; Lecturer in immunology; Immunology practical class lead demonstrator

Research supervision: 

Dr Clive Tregaskes

University Associate Professor
Division of Immunology
Dr Adrian  Kelly

Contact Details

Department of Pathology
University of Cambridge
Tennis Court Road
Cambridge
CB2 1QP
+44 (0)1223 333591
Not available for consultancy