College of Life Sciences

The main interest of my laboratory is to understand how carbohydrate recognition mediates cellular communication in the immune system. Our central focus is on the sialic acid binding Ig-related lectins (siglecs), many of which were discovered in my laboratory. We are also interested in the functional significance of glycosylation in the immune system and the identification of novel glycan binding proteins.

We are using gene ‘knockout’ and ‘knockin’ models to understand the importance of these receptors in modulating immune and inflammatory responses, by studying infectious diseases. We are also developing a range of in vitro systems to dissect the recognition and signaling pathways involved. For example, Sialoadhesin is a macrophage-restricted adhesion molecule with 17 Ig-like domains that is important for modulating both B-cell and T-cell immune responses. In comparison, the CD33-related siglecs are a family of up to 9 receptors expressed in the immune system, many of which are inhibitory signaling receptors that are important in setting the threshold for cellular activation.

A range of projects is available, depending on the interests of the student, and these fall into the general areas of inflammation, infectious disesase and cellular signaling in the immune system.

For a recent review: PR Crocker: Siglecs in innate immunity. Curr. Opin. Pharmacol. 2005, 5:431-7.