Research
Research Interest 1
The immune response is important in both protecting from pathogens but in some cases also by causing damage through inflammation, allergic or autoimmune responses. I am primarily interested in the immune and inflammatory responses to paediatric respiratory tract infection in general and particularly Respiratory Syncytial Virus. This includes the inflammatory response and the molecules and cells responsible for it. Much of the damage within the lung in RSV infection is believed to be caused by the immune response and infection reported to correlate with the subsequent development of asthma. This work has recently focussed on factors such as BAFF or TNFSF13B produced by the epithelia which stimulate antibody responses and are additionally potential vaccine adjuvants. This activator of lymphocytes is also known to play important roles in some autoimmune diseases and In B cell leukaemia’s where increased understanding of the disease process and developing translatable strategies for therapeutic intervention are a major interest and objective of this research.
Research grants
The role of Interleukin-9-mediated mucin production in the pathogenesis of viral and bacterial respiratory disease in children.
WELLCOME TRUST (UK)
August 2005 - March 2010
Mechanisms and treatment of virus induced asthma exacerbations.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
October 1999 - June 2002
Investigation of the pro and anti-inflammatory effects of neutrophils in RSV bronchiolitis
WELLCOME TRUST (UK)
April 2013 - March 2015
Using the immune response to control Childhood Leukemia
ALDER HEY CHILDREN'S CHARITY (UK)
May 2014 - October 2017
Ahmed Alyami - bench fees
MINISTRY OF HEALTH (SAUDI ARABIA)
October 2014 - September 2018
Application of nanomedicine to childhood diseases.
ALDER HEY CHILDREN'S NHS FOUNDATION TRUST (UK)
October 2013 - September 2016
University of Liverpool Institutional Discipline Bridging.
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
October 2003 - October 2006
Evaluation of adverse patient responses to implanted biomaterials.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
December 1997 - August 2001
Investigating the role of BAFF in paediatric respiratory disease
ALDER HEY CHILDREN'S NHS FOUNDATION TRUST (UK)
July 2013 - June 2015
PhD bench fee support
ROYAL EMBASSY OF SAUDI ARABIA
January 2011 - January 2015
The role of toll like receptors (TLR) and neutrophils in Severe Resporatory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Bronchiolitis
BRITISH LUNG FOUNDATION (UK)
December 2007 - February 2010
Investigating the potential of Nrf2 induction in airway epithelial cells as a treatment for RSV bronchiolitis
BRITISH SOCIETY FOR ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY (UK)
August 2013 - December 2014
Research collaborations
R. Dearman, I kimber
Syngenta PLC
Collaborative studies of the mechanism and markers of allergic sensitisation to chemical and protein allergens. This includes a BBSRC/syngenta CASE PHD student with funding of 60,500 pounds to the university of liverpool (2006-2009) and a chemical industries foundation award held jiontly with syngenta with 32,000 pounds of income to the university of liverpool (2004-2007).
Flanagan, Brian (IM)
PhD Student together
Flanagan
Flanagan B.F.
B.F. Flanagan
Currently we have one PhD student together