Immunology

Immune mechanisms are studied at molecular, protein and cellular levels in vivo and in vitro. Currently, the major research areas are:

- Immune modulatory effects of defined adjuvant components in pigs. In particular the early response to ISCOM-matrix and the enhancing and suppressive effects of CpG motifs are studied.

- Interactions between porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) and cellular components of the host, including those of the immune system.

- Profiles of the immune reactivity in healthy and diseased intestine of the horse, in collaboration with the section of Pathology at the department.

- Cellular processing, shedding and conformational change of the prion protein in vitro.

- Mast cell serine protease chymase and serglycin proteoglycans in parasitic and bacterial infections and serglycin proteoglycans in inflammatory arthritis.

- Chymase and serglycin proteoglycans in mast cell derived arachidonic acid synthesis.