The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research

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

• Dendritic cell subsets
• Viral infection models

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]

Click here to view more PubMed publications

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