Dr Gabrielle Belz

Details

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Division: Molecular Immunology

Research Overview

We are currently studying the following research areas:

  • The factors that influence the quality and quantity of the CD8 T cell response to viral infection
  • The functional specialisation of dendritic cells in immunity and tolerance
  • The transcriptional regulation of CD8 T cell differentiation of effector and memory T cell following acute and persistent viral infection

Our research is focused on understanding how a subset of white blood cells, called cytotoxic T cells (CTL, or CD8 T cells), recognise and remove virally-infected cells from the body following infection. The aim is to identify specific factors that determine how virus-specific killer T cells develop during an infection and how they impact on the establishment of immune memory after virus infection.

Our laboratory uses a combination of cutting-edge cellular and molecular technologies to dissect and study virus-specific T cell responses to Influenza A and herpesviruses. These include techniques such as flow cytometry, cell sorting, PCR and imaging.

Research Interests

Selected Publications

  1. Flynn KJ, Belz GT, Altman JD, Ahmed R, Woodland DL, Doherty PC.  Virus-specific CD8+ T cells in primary and secondary influenza pneumonia.  Immunity. 1998 Jun;8(6):683-91 PMID: 9655482 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
  2. Belz GT, Xie W, Altman JD, Doherty PC.  A previously unrecognized H-2D(b)-restricted peptide prominent in the primary influenza A virus-specific CD8(+) T-cell response is much less apparent following secondary challenge.  J Virol. 2000 Apr;74(8):3486-93 PMID: 10729122 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
  3. Belz GT, Behrens GM, Smith CM, Miller JF, Jones C, Lejon K, Fathman CG, Mueller SN, Shortman K, Carbone FR, Heath WR.  The CD8alpha(+) dendritic cell is responsible for inducing peripheral self-tolerance to tissue-associated antigens.  J Exp Med. 2002 Oct 21;196(8):1099-104 PMID: 12391021 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
  4. Allan RS, Smith CM, Belz GT, van Lint AL, Wakim LM, Heath WR, Carbone FR.  Epidermal viral immunity induced by CD8alpha+ dendritic cells but not by Langerhans cells.  Science. 2003 Sep 26;301(5641):1925-8 PMID: 14512632 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
  5. Belz GT, Smith CM, Kleinert L, Reading P, Brooks A, Shortman K, Carbone FR, Heath WR.  Distinct migrating and nonmigrating dendritic cell populations are involved in MHC class I-restricted antigen presentation after lung infection with virus.  Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004 Jun 8;101(23):8670-5 PMID: 15163797 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
  6. Smith CM, Wilson NS, Waithman J, Villadangos JA, Carbone FR, Heath WR, Belz GT.  Cognate CD4(+) T cell licensing of dendritic cells in CD8(+) T cell immunity.  Nat Immunol. 2004 Nov;5(11):1143-8 PMID: 15475958 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
  7. Wilson NS, Behrens GM, Lundie RJ, Smith CM, Waithman J, Young L, Forehan SP, Mount A, Steptoe RJ, Shortman KD, de Koning-Ward TF, Belz GT, Carbone FR, Crabb BS, Heath WR, Villadangos JA.  Systemic activation of dendritic cells by Toll-like receptor ligands or malaria infection impairs cross-presentation and antiviral immunity.  Nat Immunol. 2006 Feb;7(2):165-72 PMID: 16415871 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
  8. Kallies A, Hawkins ED, Belz GT, Metcalf D, Hommel M, Corcoran LM, Hodgkin PD, Nutt SL.  Transcriptional repressor Blimp-1 is essential for T cell homeostasis and self-tolerance.  Nat Immunol. 2006 May;7(5):466-74 PMID: 16565720 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
  9. Schnorrer P, Behrens GM, Wilson NS, Pooley JL, Smith CM, El-Sukkari D, Davey G, Kupresanin F, Li M, Maraskovsky E, Belz GT, Carbone FR, Shortman K, Heath WR, Villadangos JA.  The dominant role of CD8+ dendritic cells in cross-presentation is not dictated by antigen capture.  Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 Jul 11;103(28):10729-34 PMID: 16807294 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
  10. Smith CM, Rosa GT, May JS, Bennett NJ, Mount AM, Belz GT, Stevenson PG.  CD4+ T cells specific for a model latency-associated antigen fail to control a gammaherpesvirus in vivo.
    Eur J Immunol. 2006 Dec;36(12):3186-97 PMID: 17109468 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Current Laboratory Members

Faculty Member: Gabrielle Belz, BVBiol BVSc PhD DVSc Qld

Editorial Assistant, ICB: Simone Farrer, BSc(Hons) Monash MSc Melb

Postdoctoral Fellow: Frederic Masson, BSc(Hons) MSc France PhD Geneva

PhD Student: Lucie Rankin, BASc BSc(Hons) Melb

Research Assistant: Mary Camilleri, Dip AppSci VUT

Research Assistant: Jacob Jackson, BSc(Hons) GradDipArts Melb

Research Assistant: Dane Newman, BEnvSc (Hons) PhD Deakin