Dr. Mary O'Sullivan
Research Fellow, Clinical Medicine
- Research Institute:
TB Immunology Group, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute (TTMI)
- Contact e-mail:
- Research Area(s):
Mycobacterium tuberculosis, macrophage, dendritic cell, autophagy, apoptosis, host-pathogen interactions, metabolism.
Research Description:
My research focuses on the immune response of human macrophages and primary dendritic cell subsets to infection with Mycobacteria. We are characterising the contributions of host cellular effector mechanisms - including cell death, autophagy and metabolic reprogramming - to protective immune responses to TB and non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM) in order to inform rational vaccine design and develop host directed therapies.
Inhalable therapies have been proposed as an alternative or an adjunct to conventional chemotherapy for TB with the potential to reduce systemic toxicity and the duration of treatment. In collaboration with Professor Sally-Ann Cryan in RCSI, we have demonstrated the efficacy of inhalable biodegradable PLGA nanoparticles loaded with host-directed therapies, such as the Vitamin A metabolite retinoic acid (ATRA), for the treatment of pulmonary TB. We are also investigating the mechanism of action of vitamin A and ATRA in restricting intracellular growth of mycobacteria.
Another area of research seeks to understand the role of cellular metabolism in the activation and migration of human myeloid dendritic cells following infection with mycobacteria. The ultimate goal is to determine whether metabolic pathways could be manipulated to improve vaccine efficacy.
