-
Diseases
Themes / Divisions

About

I am interested in how the body initiates an innate immune response to infectious pathogens and then maintains ‘helpful’, rather than ‘damaging’ inflammatory responses.

The SOCS proteins are classic negative regulators that act as a handbrake to limit the damage associated with excessive pro-inflammatory cytokine signalling. TRIM proteins are another important class of intracellular proteins which both positively and negatively regulate innate immune signalling.

Our research program aims to understand the molecular detail of SOCS and TRIM protein complexes and how these signalling complexes are regulated in inflammatory and infectious disease. We are taking an integrated multi-disciplinary approach, which utilises in vivo model systems, quantitative proteomics and structural biology.

Ultimately, I am interested in the connection between the deregulation of intracellular signalling and disease. Within this context, my research is focused on understanding how these protein families regulate innate immunity.

Publications

Selected publications from Prof Sandra Nicholson

Delconte RB, Kolesnik TB, Dagley LF, Rautela J, Shi W, Putz EM, Stannard K, Zhang J-G, Teh C, Firth M, Ushiki T, Andoniou CE, Degli-Esposti MA, Sharp PP, Sanvitale CE, Infusini G, Liau NPD, Linossi EM, Burns CJ, Carotta S, Gray DHD, Seillet C, Hutchinson DS, Belz GT, Webb AI, Alexander WS, Li SS, Bullock AN, Babon JJ, Smyth MJ, Nicholson SE, Huntington ND. Author Correction: CIS is a potent checkpoint in NK cell–mediated tumor immunity. Nature Immunology. 2024;25(2):10.1038/s41590-023-01714-8

Guzman LGM, Hyland CD, Bidgood GM, Leong E, Shen Z, Goh W, Rautela J, Vince JE, Nicholson SE, Huntington ND. CD45 limits early Natural Killer cell development. Immunology and Cell Biology. 2024;102(1):10.1111/imcb.12701

Bidgood GM, Keating N, Doggett K, Nicholson SE. SOCS1 is a critical checkpoint in immune homeostasis, inflammation and tumor immunity. Frontiers in Immunology. 2024;15:10.3389/fimmu.2024.1419951

Linossi EM, Li K, Veggiani G, Tan C, Dehkhoda F, Hockings C, Calleja DJ, Keating N, Feltham R, Brooks AJ, Li SS, Sidhu SS, Babon JJ, Kershaw NJ, Nicholson SE. Author Correction: Discovery of an exosite on the SOCS2-SH2 domain that enhances SH2 binding to phosphorylated ligands. Nature Communications. 2023;14(1):10.1038/s41467-023-42706-4

Doggett K, Keating N, Dehkhoda F, Bidgood GM, Meza Guzman LG, Leong E, Kueh A, Nicola NA, Kershaw NJ, Babon JJ, Alexander WS, Nicholson SE. The SOCS1 KIR and SH2 domain are both required for suppression of cytokine signaling in vivo. Cytokine. 2023;165:10.1016/j.cyto.2023.156167

Kedzierski L, Tan AEQ, Foo IJH, Narayanan D, Moily N, McQuilten HA, Nicholson SE, Fazakerley JK. In Semliki Forest virus encephalitis, suppressor of cytokine signaling 4 (SOCS4) is an essential modulator of immune responses that mediates the balance between immunopathology and virus clearance. Immunology and Cell Biology. 2023;101(4):10.1111/imcb.12625

Chen H, Nguyen NH, Magtoto CM, Cobbold SA, Bidgood GM, Guzman LGM, Richardson LW, Corbin J, Au AE, Lechtenberg BC, Feltham R, Sutherland KD, Grohmann C, Nicholson SE, Sleebs BE. Design and characterization of a heterobifunctional degrader of KEAP1. Redox Biology. 2023;59:10.1016/j.redox.2022.102552

Zhang S, Rautela J, Bediaga NG, Kolesnik TB, You Y, Nie J, Dagley LF, Bedo J, Wang H, Sun L, Sutherland R, Surgenor E, Iannarella N, Allan R, Souza-Fonseca-Guimaraes F, Xie Y, Wang Q, Zhang Y, Xu Y, Nutt SL, Lew AM, Huntington ND, Nicholson SE, Chopin M, Zhan Y. CIS controls the functional polarization of GM-CSF-derived macrophages. Cellular & Molecular Immunology. 2023;20(1):10.1038/s41423-022-00957-z

Li K, Guzman LGM, Whitehead L, Leong E, Kueh A, Alexander WS, Kershaw NJ, Babon JJ, Doggett K, Nicholson SE. SOCS2 regulation of growth hormone signaling requires a canonical interaction with phosphotyrosine. Bioscience Reports. 2022;42(12):10.1042/bsr20221683

Kedzierski L, Tan AEQ, Foo IJH, Nicholson SE, Fazakerley JK. Suppressor of Cytokine Signalling 5 (SOCS5) Modulates Inflammatory Responses during Alphavirus Infection. Viruses. 2022;14(11):10.3390/v14112476

Lab research projects

Interested in supporting our research?

Your support will help WEHI’s researchers make discoveries and find treatments to ensure healthier, longer lives for you and your loved ones.

Contact our friendly team to find out how you can help.