Search
Research
Low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations associate with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in adolescents independent of adiposityThis paper examined the link between low serum Vitamin D levels and development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in adolescents between 14 and 17...
Research
Vitamin D deficiency causes airway hyperresponsiveness and increases airway smooth muscle mass in the lungs of female BALB/c miceWe tested whether there is a causal association between vitamin D deficiency, airway smooth muscle (ASM) mass, and the development of airway hyperresponsiveness
Research
Dendritic cells and multiple sclerosis: Disease, tolerance and therapyMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a devastating neurological disease that predominantly affects young adults resulting in severe personal and economic impact.
Research
Low vitamin D levels are associated with symptoms of depression in young adult malesResults from studies examining associations between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations and depressive symptoms are equivocal.
News & Events
Directing immune development to curb sky-rocketing diseaseOnce upon a time it was infectious diseases like polio, measles or tuberculosis that most worried parents. With these threats now largely under control, parents face a new challenge – sky-rocketing rates of non-infectious diseases such as asthma, allergies and autism.
Research
Assessing neutrophil subsets in autoimmune disease: Moving away from relying on density?Neutrophils are the most abundant immune cell in circulation. However, due to a number of technical challenges for researchers, including the neutrophil's short lifespan and difficulties with preservation, they are often discarded during blood processing and thus ignored in cohort studies. As such, the contribution of neutrophils to disease and their involvement in disease mechanisms is less explored compared with other immune cell types.
Research
Circulating Memory B Cells in Early Multiple Sclerosis Exhibit Increased IgA+ Cells, Globally Decreased BAFF-R Expression and an EBV-Related IgM+ Cell SignatureMultiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated inflammatory disease of the central nervous system that results in demyelination of axons, inefficient signal transmission and reduced muscular mobility. Recent findings suggest that B cells play a significant role in disease development and pathology. To further explore this, B cell profiles in peripheral blood from 28 treatment-naive patients with early MS were assessed using flow cytometry and compared to 17 healthy controls.
Research
Sex-Specific Environmental Impacts on Initiation and Progression of Multiple SclerosisThe immunological mechanisms that contribute to multiple sclerosis (MS) differ between males and females. Females are 2-3 times more likely to develop MS compared to males, however the reason for this discrepancy is unknown. Once MS is established, there is a more inflammatory yet milder form of disease in females whereas males generally suffer from more severe disease and faster progression, neural degradation, and disability.
Research
Changes in serum neurofilament light chain levels following narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy in clinically isolated syndromeTo determine whether serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) levels are suppressed in patients with the clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) following narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy (UVB-PT).
Research
Demographic and clinical predictors of vitamin D status in pregnant women tested for deficiency in Western AustraliaThis study aimed to describe the vitamin D status of pregnant women in Western Australia and identify predictors of deficiency in pregnancy. A cross-sectional study was conducted using linked data from statewide administrative data collections.