About our research
 Our research focuses on:
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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (Lung) (COPD)
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Osteoarthritis (OA) and sterile failure of bone implants.
More information about these chronic inflammatory diseases
Despite intensive global research, there have been relatively few innovative breakthroughs into the cause, treatment or cure of these diseases.
Our CRC’s research focuses on understanding the macrophage biology of these diseases. Macrophages, literally ‘big eaters’ are named after their important physiological role in host defence, which is to clear away cellular debris and foreign materials including infectious bacteria, fungi and viruses.
Macrophages are further loaded with formidable biochemical armour to destroy invading germs and diseases with destructive proteases that break down the molecular framework of cells, and potent oxidants that chemically burn invaders.
To complement this direct attacking ability, macrophages secrete a diverse range of danger signal molecules that prime host tissue for defence and recruit waves of other defensive cells such as neutrophils and lymphocytes, thereby broadening the assault.
If the normal defensive role of macrophages is turned against host tissue, devastating chronic inflammatory disease states develop. The reason why this happens in RA and COPD is still obscure.
There are good reasons to believe this also happens in OA and failure of joint implants because osteoclasts, which are a specialised form of macrophages, mediate the bone resorption that underlies these conditions.
Our CRC has developed innovative methods to work with macrophages, including pioneering research in the creation of macrophages from stem cells.
We are also establishing blood and tissue banks from patients with well-characterised stages of diseases. These provide disease validation of potential therapeutic targets.
Our research program has been structured to address several discrete areas of macrophage biology:
Our research programs have already identified a number of potentially commercially valuable molecules, which are currently undergoing intensive validation studies. Collectively, our research forms an iterative cycle of discovery and validation that we hope will lead to important new drug treatments for a range of chronic inflammatory diseases.
Our research activities are underpinned by strong, comprehensive technology platforms including gene microarray, proteomics, animal models of disease, and structural and computational biology.
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