School of Medicine

Research Group

Infection, Immunity and Inflammation (i3 )-IRG

Cancer Studies-IRG

Memberships

British Society for Immunology
(Chairman, South Wales Immunology Group since July 2007)

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Immunologie

GEFEK (Association for the Promotion of Independent Disease Control in Developing Countries)

Education & Qualifications

1995: Graduation in Biology (Dipl. Biol.); University of Giessen, Germany
1998: PhD in Life Science (Dr. rer. nat.); University of Giessen, Germany

Research Interest

The immune system has evolved to survey the body constantly for potentially hazardous structures.  As such, it needs to encounter ‘danger’ signals derived from microbes or from stressed tissues to mount an effective response.  Vγ9/Vδ2 T cells are unique to humans and higher primates and represent only a minor population in peripheral blood; yet they play an early and essential role in sensing invading pathogens and expand dramatically in many infections.  Activated Vγ9/Vδ2 T cells can directly eliminate infected and transformed cells but they also coordinate the action of other leukocytes.  Thus, they can assume distinct effector and regulatory functions in the periphery and in secondary lymphoid tissues, suggesting that γδ T cells profoundly influence the complexion of the immune response.  Our aim is to examine Vγ9/Vδ2 T cell responses in vitro and in vivo, and provide a thorough elucidation of the γδ T cell mediated integration of cellular and humoral responses under healthy, steady-state conditions, as well as in disease.  This work has direct implications for vaccine design and cancer therapy.

Selected Recent Publications

Eberl M, Roberts GW, Meuter S, Williams JD, Topley N, Moser B.  2009.  A rapid crosstalk of human γδ T cells and monocytes drives the acute inflammation in bacterial infections.  PLoS Pathogens 5(2):e1000308.

Moser B, Eberl M.  2007.  γδ T cells: novel initiators of adaptive immunity.  Immunological Reviews 215:89–102.

Dieli F, Vermijlen D, Fulfaro F, Caccamo N, Meraviglia S, Cicero G, Roberts A, Buccheri S, D'Asaro M, Gebbia N, Salerno A, Eberl M, Hayday AC.  2007.  Targeting human γδ T cells with zoledronate and interleukin-2 for immunotherapy of hormone-refractory prostate cancer.  Cancer Research 67:7450-7457.

Vermijlen D, Ellis P, Langford C, Klein A, Engel R, Willimann K, Jomaa H, Hayday AC, Eberl M.  2007.  Distinct cytokine-driven responses of activated blood γδ T cells: insights into unconventional T cell pleiotropy.  Journal of Immunology 178:4304-4314.

Selected Projects

Project: "The role of TRAIL in human γδ T cell-mediated cytotoxicity toward breast cancer cells"
Co-applicant: Dr Richard Clarkson
Funder: Breast Cancer Campaign, Small Pilot Grant
Duration: 2009 – 2010

Project: "T cells, monocytes and neutrophils: detrimental crosstalk in peritoneal dialysis-related infection"
Co-applicant: Prof John Williams
Funder: Baxter Healthcare, Renal Discoveries Extramural Grant
Duration: 2009 – 2012

Project: “The functional plasticity of γδ T cells and their exploitation in cancer therapy“
Co-applicants: Prof Malcolm Mason, Prof Peter Barrett-Lee
Funder: Cancer Research UK
Duration: 2008 – 2011

Project: “The role of T cells in peritoneal dialysis-related inflammation and infection”
Co-applicant: Prof Nicholas Topley
Funder: Welsh Assembly Government / MRC Health Research Partnership Award
Duration: 2008 – 2010

Project: “B cell help provided by human γδ T cells”
Co-applicant: Prof Bernhard Moser
Funder: Cardiff University, I3-IRG / MRC
Duration: 2007 – 2010

RCUK Fellowship in Translational Research
Funder: Research Councils UK
Duration: 2007 – 2011

Project: “Cells in bridging innate and adaptive immune responses”
Co-applicant: Prof Paul Morgan
Funder: Wellcome Trust, ‘Value in People’ (VIP) Award
Duration: 2007