Description:
Fungi are everywhere. They’re present in the air, in our food, some even live inside our bodies. But most of us rarely think about diseases caused by fungi. This is because our defences do a really good job in keeping them in check.
However for millions of people whose immune system are defective fungi can cause serious infections that are hard to treat and can be life threatening.
A group of cells called phagocytes play a key role in keeping us safe from fungi. They normally patrol our body so when there’s a breach they are the first to respond. Their function is to seek eat and destroy microbial intruders.
But no all fungi are alike. My Ph.D. project aims to understand how phagocytes tackle such different targets. So far I have found there are huge differences in the rate at which various different fungi are engulfed by phagocytes.
The speed of these processes depends on the chemical composition of the fungi, whether they are alive or dead, and whether they are coated with human proteins that help to mark them as intruders.
Understanding the basic biology behind these processes is the first step towards developing new treatment strategies.
Maria Fernanda Alonso works in Professor Neil Gow’s lab at the University of Aberdeen.
Medical and Patient education videos
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News article made for the regional BBC TV program North West Tonight during the 7th Advances Against Aspergillosis Meeting in Manchester, UK. March 3rd 2016.
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Dr Ritesh Argawal discusses fungal sinusitis and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) with patients.
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Dr Richard Moss discusses allergic Aspergillosis, Asthma, children affected by Aspergillus + Q & A with patients.
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Darius Armstrong-James discusses a new aspergillosis clinic in the South East + Q & A with patients.
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BBC ran an awareness story during the Advances Against Aspergillosis conference in Manchester, UK about the dangers to our health posed by Aspergillus and some of the most common ways the fungus can grow and multiply in our homes. Ann Saunders and Prof David Denning, Director of the National Aspergillosis Centre helped discuss the issues.
Estimated audience at 7.40am is 1.5 million.
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The international Advances Against Aspergillosis conference came to Manchester this year (2016) and brought together the aspergillosis medical, scientific and patient communities for the first time in two years. Much progress was discussed and reported, awareness reaching 5 million people via UK TV BBC1 during the meeting.
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ERS Vision: Take the Active Option: the benefits of exercise in respiratory medicine
