Paul Eggleton

Paul Eggleton qualified in Medical Microbiology (MPhil) and Biochemistry (PhD) at University College, London (Royal Free Hospital Medical School and Royal College of Surgeons of England).

Current research.

Autoimmunity and breakdown of immune tolerance .
My current research expertise is investigating the breakdown of immune tolerance in SLE, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. My group is focussing on inflammation, infection and environmental irritants in the lung as a potential triggers of rheumatoid arthritis. We are using a combination of immunochemistry, genotyping and mass spectrometry to identify post translational modifications of host proteins in individual patients that might lead to activation of autoreactive B and T-cell immunity. The ultimate aim is to understand how protein modification at sights distant from the joints might lead to breakdown of immune tolerance. This work is revealing a number of mechanisms and host proteins that are potential targets for therapeutic intervention and as early diagnostic biomarkers of disease before symptoms are prevalent. In multiple sclerosis we have identified a number of proteins in the brain that are overexpressed and may be responsible for the immune pathology observed in multiple sclerosis. We are investigating methods to suppress these proteins in a non-invasive manner.
Oncology.
A major focus of my own research group (Exeter) together with my collaborators at the University of Groningen is to develop methods to enhance the ability of tumour cells to be targeted for elimination by activating various pathways of innate and adaptive immunity.