Investigations into VDJ recombination ability in patients with severe immunodeficiency and sensitivity to ionising radiation. We have established a fibroblast assay to measure VDJ recombination in vitro and are looking at VDJ recombination in a family with severe T cell immunodeficiency. We aim to utilise this assay with other patients with impaired VDJ recombination to examine fidelity.

A study to determine whether preterm infants can make a protective antibody response to the pneumococcal serotypes in Prevenar conjugate heptavalent pneumococcal vaccine following the national UK immunisation schedule:

This is a multicentre clinical study with Alan Fenton in Neonatolgy to assess the efficacy of a new conjugated pneumococcal vaccine in pre-term neonates. This has established a multivalent pneumococcal ELISA assay in Newcastle, and will compliment some of the current research into the nature of the pneumococcal antibody response.