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Immunity and microbes

Rod-shaped bacteria, part of the intestinal microbiome

The immune system protects the host against dangerous microbes, limits the growth of tumours and promotes tissue repair. Research in this theme examines how the immune system recognises these threats and how it responds. We are also interested in the mutually beneficial relationship between the immune system and microbes that live in the gut and other body surfaces, including how these microbes control immune cell development and function. These studies help us understand the causes and treatment of autoimmune disease and guide new ways to use the immune system to fight infection or cancer.

Groups within this theme

The main focus of the lab is to understand how humoral immune responses are regulated within the spleen.

Arnon Group | Lymphocyte Trafficking and Adaptive Immunity

Our research goal is to elucidate mechanisms that control the initiation of inflammatory responses in innate immune cells.

Bezbradica Mirkovic Group | Macrophage Biology in Inflammation

Clarke Group | Metabolism and Immunity

Clarke Group | Metabolism and Immunity

Dustin, L Group | Viral Infection and Immunity

Dustin, L Group | Viral Infection and Immunity

Dustin, M Group | Immunological Synapse

Dustin, M Group | Immunological Synapse

Primary research goal is the identification and characterisation of the mechanisms of mechanobiology controlling the immune response in health and disease. Our objectives involve the application and development of novel ultrasensitive live-cell microscopy techniques with the right spatiotemporal sensitivity as demanded by the biology. Long-term goal of our research is the translation of our expertise and methodologies in mechanobiology to mechanomedicine in diagnostics and treatment of patients.

Fritzsche Group | Biophysical Immunology

We are interested in understanding how CD8 T cell responses are organised in space and time to achieve the correct balance between tolerance and immunity.

Gérard Group | Spatiotemporal Dynamics of T Cell Responses

Applying multi-omic and computational genomic approaches to understand the molecular basis of host-microbiome interactions

Johnson Group | Microbiome and Multi-omics

We seek to identify multi-gene signatures of shared immune variation to better understand disease genetics and health outcomes.

Jostins Group | Statistical Genetics of Immune Variation

Our group investigates how the extracellular matrix - the component of tissue that lies immediately outside and between cells - contributes to inflammation.

Midwood Group | Matrix Immunology

The Powrie lab employs basic and translational science to study host-microbe crosstalk in health and disease, focussing on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), colorectal cancer (CRC) and inflammatory arthritis. Research spans observational and functional analysis of a broad range of cell types including bacteria, fibroblasts, T cells and neutrophils.

Powrie Group | Mucosal Immunology

Work in the Sansom lab focuses on identifying the cellular and molecular causes of immune mediated inflammatory disease (IMID) using systems-level approaches.

Sansom Group | Computational and Single Cell Genomics Group

Simon Group | Autophagy in the Immune System

Simon Group | Autophagy in the Immune System

The Oxford Centre for Microbiome Studies (OCMS)

The Oxford Centre for Microbiome Studies (OCMS)

Work in the Udalova is focused on understanding how the inflammatory response is controlled on the molecular level.

Udalova Group | Genomics of Inflammation