UNIABDN
The Gut Immunology group - Rowett Research Institute - University of Aberdeen - Aberdeen
On the first of July 2008, the Rowett Research Institute has merged with the University of Aberdeen to create World Leader in Nutrition and Health Research
Established in 1913, Rowett receives funding from the Scottish Government Rural and Environment Research and Analysis Directorate, with a staff complement of 268. The aim is to provide evidence-based nutrition information to enable Government to formulate robust nutritional advice.
The Gut Immunology group is involved in the Gut Health Programme. Research Goals of the group are to understand the different effects of pathogenic and commensal bacteria on gut immunity, to understand the mechanisms involved in microbes host interactions and to develop new therapeutics for the treatment of human gut disorders, including IBD and colorectal cancer.
Research and Training Expertise
The Gut Immunolgy and Microbiology group has world recognized expertise on gut microbiota diversity and functionality. They provided cutting edge data on the role of selected bacterial strains from the bacteriodetes and firmicutes phyla in modulating mucosal immune response. The group has documented the impact of commensal bacteria on epithelial gene expression (NF-kB, defensins, chemokines and cytokines) and on the receptor involved (TLR).
RRI is currently hosting 40 Marie Curie’s fellows, 20-30 foreign ESR per annum, 15-20 PhD (30% European). Maximally, we have had 50 ESR at RRI.
Key persons involved
Denise Kelly is head of Gut immunology & Microbiology Biology Group and is an inventor on two patent applications. Research emphasis is on Gut immunity and the mechanisms of bacterial induced inflammation and regulation.
As the Student Liaison Officer’s of RRI, Tim P. King is responsible for raising any issues with the Director of Academic Studies, when deemed necessary, to assist in the induction of new students and administrate the system and to act as mentor and point of contact with all students in relation to non-research based issues. He creates a monitoring timetable for all students. His expertise in ESR training and following will benefit to the CROSS-TALK project and all cognate training officers.
Material Ressources
The group is fully equipped to perform up-to-date methods in microbiology, and immunology. Among this one can cite real-time PCR, microarray analysis, Affymetrix gene platform, plasmid library construction, siRNA, FRET (protein:protein interactions), Fluorescence, Confocal and Electron microscopy, trafficking of fluorescence- tagged proteins in cells in real-time, Proteomics, Flow cytometry (FACSAria) , cytokine/chemokine analyses (FACSArray).
Within the RRI, it have access to platforms including genomics, proteomics, LCMD, MS, and animal facility.
3 Key publications
- Kelly D, King T, Aminov R. (2007) Importance of microbial colonization of the gut in early life to the development of immunity. Mutat Res. 622:58-69.[Pubmed]
- Adamsson J, Lindblad M, Lundqvist A, Kelly D, Holmgren J, Harandi AM.(2006) Novel immunostimulatory agent based on CpG oligodeoxynucleotide linked to the nontoxic B subunit of cholera toxin. J Immunol. 176:4902-13.[Pubmed]
- Kelly D, Campbell JI, King TP, Grant G, Jansson EA, Coutts AG, Pettersson S, Conway S. (2004) Commensal anaerobic gut bacteria attenuate inflammation by regulating nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling of PPAR-gamma and RelA. Nat Immunol. 5:104-12.[Pubmed]
