Dr Jan Rehwinkel talks about the role of our innate immune system in our fight against flu virus.
How the immune system detects flu virus
The innate immune response is critical for a successful defence against viral infection. The first arm of our immune response is triggered by the detection of the presence of the virus: cell surface receptors detect the presence of viral genomic information. Dr Jan Rehwinkel is working to dissect the molecular biology of nucleic acid sensors. A better understanding of these mechanisms might help us develop better vaccination strategies.
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Vaccines save millions of lives each year; however, some of the world's worst diseases are still difficult to prevent. Our series of podcasts on Epidemics and Vaccines detail the research within NDM to combat diseases such as hepatitis, influenza and tuberculosis, through development of novel vaccines and vaccine delivery mechanisms and strategies. Developing countries and vulnerable populations are a particular focus of some of this work.