Cancer Cell Death
| Lab Members: Joe Trapani - Group Leader Vivien Sutton - Senior Research Officer Nigel Waterhouse - Senior Research Officer Ilia Voskoboinik - Senior Research Officer Kylie Browne - Senior Research Assistant Karin Sedelies - Research Assistant Annette Ciccone - Research Assistant Jenny Chia - Research Assistant Kevin Thia - Research AssistantKatherine Baran - PhD student Desiree Anthony - PhD student Olivia Susanto - PhD student
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Laboratory Overview The Trapani research program studies molecular and cell biology mechanisms of how cytotoxic cells of the immune system kill cancerous, virus-infected cells and cells targeted in various autoimmune disorders, such as insulin-dependent diabetes. Our research group focuses on effector molecules, most notably perforin and a family of proapoptotic serine proteases (granzymes), which are secreted by cytotoxic lymphocytes. Perforin synergises with granzymes to deliver the “kiss of death” to the target cell. Individual granzymes initiate a range of signalling pathways, which lead to the death of the target cell. We study the mechanism of synergy between perforin and granzymes, the structure-function and the cell biology of perforin, and granzyme-driven mechanisms of target cell death. We have developed a range of novel molecular, biochemical and cell biology techniques to study the mechanism and function of these toxic molecules. As a result we are one of the leading laboratories investigating mechanisms of immune function exerted by cytotoxic T cells and natural killer cells. |