Cellular and Viral Immunology Resource at the Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff University

Research in general is very labour intensive, often requiring large quantities of reagents for use in experiments. Thus, a lot of time and effort is required just for reagent generation, even before any experiments can be carried out. The idea of this proposal is to fund a facility that specializes in large-scale reagent generation (including antibodies, soluble proteins, cell lines and viruses), which can then support the research of multiple projects and collaborations. In so doing, it facilitates all of the studies, allowing more time for the researchers to carry out actual experiments rather than spending inordinate amounts of time generating reagents. In addition, it brings together researchers from different backgrounds with different expertise, allowing interaction and complimentation to enhance the research. Finally, such a facility would provide a bank of resources that can then be used whenever needed in the future. In this way, it will enhance the productivity and progress of immunological research at the Wales College of Medicine, as well as research associated with it nationally and internationally. This research ranges from understanding the basic mechanisms that control inflammation and immunity (to viruses, cancers or self ), to studies investigating arthritis and the way that disease-causing pathogens such as persistent viruses impact on the immune response. The results of this research will be presented at conferences and to wider audiences as it advances.

This proposal aims to provide salary and consumables for a named technician to continue supporting the research of the lead applicant and the co-applicant through the continued running of a tissue culture resource. The lead applicant, Dr Eddie Wang, holds an MRC CEG to study the function of death receptor 3, while the co-applicant, Dr Awen Gallimore, holds an MRC Senior Fellowship to investigate the role of regulatory T cells in a number of disease models. The grant holders already collaborate on research into melanocyte antigens, influenza and lymphocyte choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). These studies require intensive tissue culture, including: screening and storage of cell lines; purification of soluble proteins; production of titred virus stocks and; generation of hybridomas for antibody production. The grant holders also have collaborations with other groups within an existing MRC-COGG that currently provides essential tissue culture support via a facility run by the named technician. This COGG will expire in April 2006. The Collaboration Grant will extend this support for the full duration of the MRC CEG and Senior Fellowship.