Andrew Lloyd

The goal of the research groups which are led by Professor Lloyd is to understand the cellular and molecular basis of inflammatory processes in human infectious diseases. In particular, the groups are focussed on studies of the pathogenesis of hepatitis C infection, and the characteristics of the host response to other infections includi ng Epstein-Barr virus, Ross River virus and Coxiella burnetii - the causative agent of Q fever. The themes of the research include studies seeking to define the role of cytokines in disease, including: the chemoattractant cytokines (chemokines) in regulation of lymphocyte trafficking; antiviral cytokines in fection outcome; and pro-inflammatory cytokines in illness manifestations. The scope of the research extends from laboratory studies of the basic biology of genes relevant to disease pathogenesis through to clinical and epidemiological studies in humans. The research includes cellular and molecular immunology techniques, and includes in vitro as well as in vivo studies in animal models of disease.