Dear all student and Staff

You are very welcome to join the talk from Prof. Steve from Liverpool University.

This is a good chance to join the world class scientist who is the immunologist expert. 

Please see the abstract of the talk below.

The date is 30 March, 15.00. Online only.

Cheers

Course coordinators 

Topic: Neutrophils: essential cells for protection against infections, but a source of tissue damage in conditions such as COVID-19.

Presenter: Prof. Steve W. Edward

Abstract

Neutrophils play key roles in protecting us from infectious agents that we encounter in our everyday lives. In order to perform this protective role, they are highly mobile cells that can enter tissues and become rapidly activated to generate an array of toxic mechanisms and processes that recognise and kills these pathogens. This is the “classical” role of neutrophils in host defence. However, it has recently been recognised that neutrophils play more sophisticated roles in regulating immune responses, either via cell:cell contact or via the secretion of numerous cytokines and chemokines. Additionally, in some inflammatory conditions or infections, these mechanisms that have evolved to protect us from infections, actually cause great damage to our cells and tissues, and can even lead to death. The recent involvement of neutrophils in the pathology of acute respiratory distress syndrome following Sars-CoV-2/COVID-19 infection highlights the potentially destructive power of these immune cells, if their activation is dysregulated. Understanding how neutrophils are switched on an off can not only improve host defence mechanisms, but may also provide new ways to treat tissue damage in such diseases.