Translational and Human Immunology

Associate Professor Corey Smith

Group Leader

Research Focus

The Translational and Human Immunology Group focuses on understanding the mechanisms that regulate human immune responses in health and disease. We have a keen interest in understanding how persistent viral infections contribute to a range of diseases, including autoimmune diseases and cancer. We aim to develop a deep understanding of differences in our immune systems that contribute to the susceptibility to different viral-associated diseases. Knowledge gained from these studies forms the basis for developing novel immune interventional and diagnostic strategies that can implemented in clinical settings.

Gallery

Research Projects

Current Research Projects

Unravelling the interplay between EBV genomics and host T cell immune regulation in multiple sclerosis

Poise Aula and Panteha Khaledi

Investigation the role of Epstein Barr Virus in Long COVID

Investigating the differences in vaccine and infection induced T cell immunity to SARS-CoV-2

Kiana Berry

Research Team

Kiana Berry

Lea Lekieffre

Oyime Poise Aula

Panteha Khaledi

Funding

Unravelling the interplay between EBV genomics and host T cell immune regulation in multiple sclerosis (MRFF)

“Off-the-shelf” CAR-T cell immunotherapy for brain cancer (MRFF)

A phase III, multicentre, randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial of SpironolacTOne and famciclovir in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis: the STOP-MS trial (MRFF)

ALL IN – AI and Laboratory Led IdentificatioN of PASC (MRFF)

Publications

Compassionate access to virus-specific T cells for adoptive immunotherapy over 15 years, Nat Commun 2024 Dec 3;15[1]:10339.

Ablation of CD8+ T cell recognition of an immunodominant epitope in SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants BA.1, BA.2 and BA.3. Nature Commun. 2022 Oct 27;13[1]:6387.

SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells generated for adoptive immunotherapy are capable of recognizing multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants. PLoS Pathog. 2022 Feb 14;18[2]:e1010339.