Virtual School Seminar - Associate Professor Ashley Mansell

Associate Professor Ashley Mansell

Title

Finding the balance:  Inflammasomes and Immunometabolism

 

Abstract

Excessive inflammation induced upon pathogen infection is characteristic of many infectious diseases, contributing to the severity of disease and mortality. The critical role of the NLRP3 inflammasome complex in inducing the maturation of the prototypic inflammatory cytokine IL-1b has been demonstrated in a multitude of diseases. Understanding the mechanisms of how PRRs induce inflammation identifies strategies to regulate inflammation to achieve better clinical outcomes.

This seminar will address the role of non-canonical STAT3 signalling in TLR-induced mitochondrial reprogramming in macrophages leading to expression of pro-IL-1b and the production of metabolic intermediates in response to LPS.

It will also describe the bifunctional role of the NLRP3 inflammasome in severe and pathogenic influenza A virus infection and the therapeutic potential of targeting this complex.

Bio

Associate Professor Ashley Mansell is a senior scientist and head of the Pattern Recognition Receptors and Inflammation at the Centre for Innate Immunity and Infectious Diseases, Hudson Institute of Medical Research. Dr Mansell completed his PhD with Professor Luke O’Neill at Trinity College, Dublin. Returning to Australia, he was recruited to the Monash Institute of Medical Research under Professor Paul Hertzog to form a TLR research laboratory where he has established his laboratory into PRR signal transduction and its role in inflammatory diseases.

His studies have concentrated on understanding how TLRs, and other Pattern recognition receptors, recognise and respond to pathogen challenge. His recent studies have investigated the role of the inflammasome in pathogenic Influenza A virus infections and macrophage immunometabolism.

Recently he joined Morningside Biopharma Advisory to become a Senior Director of Research and Development looking to translate his studies into potential therapies while also maintaining an adjunct position at Hudson Institute.