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An Interdisciplinary Research Centre at the University of Cambridge
 

Research

Multidisciplinary studies on immunity to and the immunomorbidity of human schistosomiasis in disease endemic areas of sub-Saharan Africa. Interactions between co-infecting parasites in man, including the exacerbating effects of co-exposure to schistosomiasis and malaria on hepatic disease in school-aged children. Human IgE and IgE-mediated effector mechanisms in African populations and association with between immunity and susceptibility to schistosomiasis, and hookworm, and allergic diseases. This research is carried out in partnership with long-term collaborating scientists in Kenya, Uganda and Mali.

Publications

Key publications: 
  • Pinot de Moira A, Jones FM, Wilson S, Tukahebwa E, Fitzsimmons CM, Mwatha JK, Bethony JM, Kabatereine NB, Dunne DW. (2013). Childhood schistosome and hookworm co-infections: effects of treatment on IgE responses against parasite allergen-like proteins and immunity to reinfection. Infect Immun. 81:23-32.
  • Wilson S, Jones FM, Fofana HKM, Loundré A, Kimani G, Mwatha JK, Sacko M, Vennervald BJ, Dunne DW. (2013) Rapidly boosted plasma IL-5 induced by treatment of human schistosomiasis haematobium is dependent on antigen dose, IgE and eosinophils. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. PNTD-D-12-01323R2
  • Fitzsimmons CM, Jones FM, Pinot de Moira A, Protasio AV, Khalife J, Dickinson HA, Tukahebwa EM, Dunne DW. (2012). Progressive cross-reactivity in IgE responses: an explanation for the slow development of immunity to human schistosomiasis Infect Immun. 80:4264-70
  • Fitzsimmons CM, Jones FM, Stearn A, Chalmers IW, Hoffmann KF, Wawrzyniak J, Wilson S, Kabatereine NB, Dunne DW. (2012) The Schistosoma mansoni Tegumental-Allergen-Like (TAL) Protein Family: Influence of Developmental Expression on Human IgE Responses. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 6(4):e1593.
  • Dunne, DW., Vennervald, BJ., Booth, M., Joseph, S., Fitzsimmons, CM., Cahen, P., Sturrock, RF., Ouma, JH., Mwatha, JK., Kimani, G., Kariuki, HC., Kazibwe, F., Tukahebwa, E., Kabatereine, NB. (2006) Applied and basic research on the epidemiology, morbidity, and immunology of schistosomiasis in fishing communities on Lake Albert, Uganda.Transactions of the Royal Society for Tropical Medicine & Hygiene 100:216-23