Jose Villadangos laboratory

Research Overview

Our laboratory studies the first event that triggers adaptive immune responses: the presentation of pathogen or tumor antigens to T cells by Dendritic Cells, B cells and Macrophages. We are characterizing the development, regulation and impairment of antigen presenting cells by pathogens, inflammatory mediators and tumours. We are also dissecting the biochemical machinery involved in antigen capture, processing and presentation. We use this knowledge to understand how T cell-dependent immunity is initiated and maintained, and apply it to design better vaccines and immunotherapies against infectious agents and cancer.

Techniques

Our lab uses cutting-edge biochemistry, cell biology and immunological techniques to unravel important immunological problems. Techniques include:

  • Experimental models of viral, bacterial and malaria infection
  • Analysis and development of immunotherapies against cancer
  • CRISPR-Cas9 for specific gene targeting and whole-genome library screens
  • Biochemistry
  • Flow cytometry
    • Spectral flow cytometry
    • High dimensional flow cytometry
  • Immunofluorescent microscopy
  • Intra-vital microscopy
  • Human intestinal organoid culture*
  • Human T-cell functional analysis**
  • Proteomics and transcriptomics
  • Immunological assays

* Organ donor tissues through Australian Donation and Transplantation Biobank (ADTB).

**Derived from human peripheral blood samples from healthy and patient populations.

Staff

Laboratory Manager

Jo Pooley: j.pooley@unimelb.edu.au

Post-Doctoral Fellows

Adam Balic: adam.balic@unimelb.edu.au
Anouk Becker: anouk.becker@unimelb.edu.au
Laura Cook: l.cook@unimelb.edu.au
Jieru Deng: jieru.deng@unimelb.edu.au
Hamish McWilliam: hamish.mcwilliam@unimelb.edu.au

Research Assistant

Charlene Chen: charlene.chen1@unimelb.edu.au

PhD Graduate Researchers

Laura Almagro Puente: lalmagropuen@student.unimelb.edu.au
Laraib Amir Ali: laraibamir.ali@student.unimelb.edu.au
Leonardo Arpesella: larpesella@student.unimelb.edu.au
Laura Bahr: bahr@student.unimelb.edu.au
Michael Harvie: mharvie@student.unimelb.edu.au
Atieh Mousavizadeh: atieh.mousavizadeh@student.unimelb.edu.au
Vaughn Ticar: vticar@student.unimelb.edu.au
Bjorn Wee: wees2@student.unimelb.edu.au
Atefeh Yaftiyan: ayaftiyan@student.unimelb.edu.au
Xiaoyue Zhang: xiaoyuez6@student.unimelb.edu.au

Hons Students

Dong Li: doli1@student.unimelb.edu.au
Alec Harvey: harveah@student.unimelb.edu.au

Research Publications

Click here for the results of a PubMed search of Jose's publications.

Click here for the results of a Google Scholar analysis of Jose's publications.

Research Projects


Faculty Research Themes

Infection and Immunology, Cancer

School Research Themes

Cancer in Biomedicine, Molecular Mechanisms of Disease, Infection & Immunity


Key Contact

For further information about this research, please contact Head of Laboratory Professor Jose Villadangos

Department / Centre

Biochemistry and Pharmacology

Unit / Centre

Jose Villadangos laboratory

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