We are interested in elucidating the physiological importance of host defence peptides to innate and adaptive host defences, and the potential of their synthetic derivatives as future preventative and therapeutic antimicrobial agents.

Current research projects in the laboratory are focused upon:

The importance of host defence modulation and microbicidal activities in cathelicidin-mediated protection against pulmonary viruses (including Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Influenza), and their potential for novel protective and therapeutic interventions.

The role and therapeutic potential of defensins, and related synthetic derivatives, in the treatment of Atopic Dermatitis.

The biological significance and therapeutic potential of cathelicidin-primed dendritic cells in host immunity.

The role of cathelicidin-induced epithelial cell death of bacterially / virally infected cells, as an innate pulmonary defence.

The key cellular sources of cathelicidins and therapeutic inducibility.

Additional and collaborative projects focus on:

The function of cathelicidins as direct modulators of adaptive immune responses.

Novel approaches to imaging HDP interactions with microbes and mammalian cells.

The physiological importance of lipoxins in non-CF bronchiectasis, and potential as therapeutic targets.

The importance of HDP in regulation of the microbiome.

The role of HDP in the female reproductive tract and in premature birth.

Neutrophil NET formation in host defence and the role of calprotectin in the cystic fibrosis lung disease.