Specificity, cross-talk and adaptation in Type I Interferon signaling
Innate immune system is the first line of defense of higher organisms against pathogens. It coordinates the behavior of millions of cells of multiple types, achieved through numerous signaling molecules. This talk focuses on the signaling specificity of a major class of signaling molecules – Type I Interferons – which are also used therapeutically in the treatment of a number of diseases, such as Hepatitis C, multiple sclerosis and some cancers. Puzzlingly, different Interferons act through the same cell surface receptor but have different effects on the target cells. They also exhibit a strange pattern of temporal cross-talk resulting in a serious clinical problem – loss of response to Interferon therapy. We combined mathematical modeling with quantitative experiments to develop a quantitative model of specificity and adaptation in the Interferon signaling pathway. The model resolves several experimental puzzles and directly affects the clinical use of Type I Interferons in treatment of viral hepatitis and other diseases.
Date: 20 April 2016, 14:00 (Wednesday, 0th week, Trinity 2016)
Venue: Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Headington OX3 7FY
Venue Details: Bernard Sunley Lecture Theatre
Speaker: Professor Anton Zilman (Department of Physics and Institute for Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto)
Organising department: Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology
Organiser: Gintare Kolesnikovaite (Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology)
Organiser contact email address: eva.culleton-oltay@tss.ox.ac.uk
Host: Prof Mike Dustin (PROFESSOR OF IMMUNOLOGY AND WELLCOME PRINCIPAL RESEARCH FELLOW, DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH OF THE KENNEDY INSTITUTE)
Part of: Kennedy Institute Seminars
Booking required?: Not required
Audience: Members of the University only
Editor: Gintare Kolesnikovaite