Monash scientists find ‘bad guy’ blood cells vital to gut health

Eosinophil granulocytes in inflammatory infiltrate. This type of
white blood cell is responsible for combating parasites, and has a
role in mechanisms associated with allergy and asthma.
Image: Shutterstock

by Anne Crawford

A Monash University collaboration has found that eosinophils, a type of white blood cell commonly associated with asthma and allergy, play an important role in maintaining a healthy gut.

Professor Nicola Harris, from Monash’s Central Clinical School, made the surprising discovery working with study co-lead, Professor Kathy McCoy from the University of Calgary, and scientists from Switzerland. Their paper was published in Immunity 16 June.

New drug screen raises hope for nematode worm control

Barber's pole worm, so called because of its diagonal alternating
red and white stripes, is a damaging gastrointestinal nematode.
Image: interest.co.nz

by Anne Crawford

Hookworms affect the lives of hundreds of millions of people living under impoverished conditions in subtropical and tropical regions, while another nematode species called barber’s pole worm causes widespread damage to livestock. Now a Monash-led collaboration has developed a drug test that will potentially help counter nematode resistance to existing drugs in humans and in sheep.

Professor Nicola Harris from the Central Clinical School's Department of Immunology and Pathology, and Dr Tiffany Bouchery, at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute in Basel, successfully identified a novel approach to identifying drugs to counter the worms in a study published in ‘Pharmaceuticals’ recently.

Intestinal worm study highlights role of microbiota

by Anne Crawford

Monash Professor Nicola Harris has for 15 years investigated the intestinal activities of helminths (parasitic worms), making landmark discoveries about them as she did. Her latest paper, published recently in ‘Mucosal Immunology’, showed some surprising interactions between the intestinal microbiota and helminths that could offer a new approach to fighting the parasites and which reinforces the role of the microbiota.

Day of Immunology 2022

The Monash team at the 2022 Day of Immunology. L-R back row Nirmal
Bhatt, Flavia Gomez, Kathy Hsin, Gemma Hartley, Maria Demaria.
Front row: Katrina Kan, Jesse Mulder and Jurie Tashkandi

By Dr Maria Demaria, Lecturer, Department of Immunology and Pathology, Central Clinical School

The International Day of Immunology is celebrated every year on 29 April. The Australian and New Zealand Society for Immunology (ASI) organises a number of events to coincide with this day. In Victoria and Tasmania, our events included a public lecture, research institute discovery tours, science in the pub, and secondary school student workshops and careers sessions. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this is the first year since 2019 that many of these events have been held. 

Helminths, immune response and gut microbiota: Prof Nicola Harris featured in The Scientist

The Scientist features Prof Nicola Harris's research on intestinal
parasites in an article,"Return of the Worms"

Professor Nicola Harris works on the complex relationship between our gut microbiome, intestinal parasites - helminths - and our immune system. Her research has been featured in The Scientist.

Catherine Offord writes:

"Increasingly seen as a mediator of human health in its own right, with hypothesized effects on everything from intestinal inflammation and immune development to cancer progression and mental health, the gut microbiome could also be an important piece of a worm’s relationship with its host.

Robyn O'Hehir medal for 2020's top Honours student

L-R: Prof David Tarlinton, Head of Department, Prof Robyn O'Hehir AO,
Mr Rory Doolan, prize winner, and Prof Nicola Harris.

Rory Doolan, who undertook Honours in Nicola Harris's lab within the Department of Immunology and Pathology was recently awarded the Robyn O'Hehir Honours Dux medal for being the top Honours student in 2020 at CCS out of a cohort of 42 students. 

Rory’s thesis was ‘Investigating the response of airway epithelial cells to damage - Use of the Helminth model of Nippostrongylus brasiliensis.’  Rory was supervised by Professor Nicola Harris, Dr Tiffany Smith and Dr Gillian Coakley.

Congratulations, thanks and farewell to Associate Professor Justin Hamilton

L-R: A/Prof Justin Hamilton with his  PhD student at the time, Shauna French, who is now at Harvard Medical School; A/Prof Nigel Jones with his current PhD student Flavia Gomes; Prof Nicola Harris who became one of CCS's graduate research coordinators in November 2018.

Congratulations to Associate Professor Justin Hamilton on his new adventure as CSL's Director of In vivo Biology. We will all miss you! Professor Terry O'Brien, Head of School, writes:

ARC Discovery grant for drug research against blood-feeding parasite nematodes

L-R: Prof Nicola Harris (CIA), Dr Tiffany Smith and Prof Robin
Gasser are collaborating on an ARC project to control parasitic
nematodes which are a problem in agricultural animals.

Congratulations to Professor Nicola Harris, lead researcher of a group which has received an Australian Research Council (ARC) grant for $445,250 across three years to investigate control of parasitic nematodes.

Prof Nicola Harris and Dr Tiffany Smith have teamed up with Professor Robin Gasser, who specialises in parasitology at the University of Melbourne, to discover drugs which will work against blood-feeding parasite nematodes of animals. This project aims to identify more sustainable control strategies of nematode parasites of livestock, which cost more than 400 million yearly to the Australian wool and meat industry. 

Day (& Year!) of Immunology events, public lectures and more

Professor Nicola Harris is one of the speakers
at the 2020 Day of Immunology public lecture
on 15 May. RSVP here 

2020 is being a big year for immunological research. A worldwide scientific hunt is on for tests, prophylactics, treatments and vaccines for the deadly coronavirus, COVID-19. So the annual celebration of immunological research, the Day of Immunology, has never been more timely.

Monash University's Department of Immunology and Pathology is a major contributor to the event. Professor Nicola Harris, a research group leader in the department, will be one of the three speakers for the 15 May public lecture. RSVP here

Prof Harris will be speaking on worms! Not earthworms, but parasite worms such as tapeworms and hookworms, known collectively as helminths, which are transmitted by soil. When they get into us, they live in our gastrointestinal tract. We have a long evolutionary history of co-existence with these parasites, and our immune system has developed a variety of responses to these soil transmitted helminths (STH), and their interactions with our immune system and the intestinal microbiome.

Cracking the code for hookworm infestation

Professor Nicola Harris

Hookworms infect nearly 700 million people in the world, mostly in countries where sanitation is poor, and people often walk barefoot.

The body's immune system is critical to attacking the hookworm, but these parasites are masters of escape and individuals typically remain infected throughout their lifetime, often resulting in death or complications stemming from anemia.

Monash University researchers have uncovered a key way that hookworms evade the immune system – providing new hope in the search for a vaccine.