Lecture - Complement Evasion by Microbes - Prof Seppo Meri
21/01/2016 13:00 to 21/01/2016 14:30 (Europe/Luxembourg)
Esch/Alzette,
Luxembourg
Speaker
Prof. Seppo MERI. MD, PhD is professor of Immunology and Head of the Department of Bacteriology and Immunology at the University of Helsinki. He is also Chief Physician and Head of Microbiology Research at the Helsinki University Hospital Laboratory (HUSLAB), Finland
ABSTRACT
Infections pose a global threat because of spread of antibiotic resistance.
Elucidation of microbial genomes provides new opportunities to tackle virulence mechanisms of pathogenic microbes and new immune-based interventions. We have been analyzing immune evasion mechanisms of important pathogens, like Borrelia.
The presentation will describe mechanisms that pathogens use to escape innate immunity, particularly the complement system. This information will be important in developing new vaccines and ways to overcome microbial resistance to complement.
The particular microbes we have been working on include Borrelia burgdorferi, Meningococcus, Pneumococcus, Salmonella, Yersinia, Escherichia coli and Plasmodium falciparum. The studies have been extended also to mosquitoes to find out why human blood does not destroy vectors for malaria and dengue fever.
As an example of potential applications, new vaccines against group B Meningococcus exploiting a complement factor H binding protein have been developed. Factor H (FH) is an important inhibitor of complement. Mutations in FH predispose to severe human diseases. An example is hemolytic uremic syndrome, where complement attacks self cells in contact with blood plasma (blood cells and endothelial cells). Thus, the same mechanisms we use for our own protection are used by microbes to escape immune attack.
SCHEDULE
13:00 - 14:30 : Lecture
Lycée Technique d'Esch/Alzette - Salle de projection audiovisuelle
15:00 - 16:30 : Workshop
House of BioHealth
Room Françoise Barré-Sinoussi
Registration required for the workshop - send us an email.
About the Lecture & Workshop series - Infection & Immunity
The LIH lecture and workshops series in Infection and Immunity, supported by the FNR, are gathering internationally recognised speakers to address topics around Infection and Immunity. Twelve lectures will be organised in 2016, followed by workshops especially dedicated to early-stage researchers.
Attendance to the lectures and workshops are free of charge. Should you be interested in registering for the workshops, please feel free to do so by sending us an email.