Immune responses that involve activation of specialised cells, these are tightly regulated complex interaction of cells and mediators.
Cellular immunology is a remarkable example of specialised cell function. The effector and regulatory properties of the immune system are regulated by cell-cell interactions and by secreted factors such as cytokines, which act over long distances. Cambridge immunologists have made a sustained contribution to these areas, for example through the discovery of immuno-regulatory mechanisms in diabetes; the molecular basis for antigen presentation; and signal transduction in lymphocytes and neutrophils. This insight has translated into concepts for immune regulation by therapeutic monoclonal antibodies in human disease. Cambridge immunologists study cellular immunology and immune regulation using cutting edge approaches which includes in vivo models and human studies with relevance to autoimmunity transplantation and tumour immunotherapy.
