Oxygen and immune response

Low tissue oxygen levels (hypoxia) can suppress some aspects of the immune response, while at the same time it induces and accentuates other immune cell functions. The puzzling nature of the dual effects that hypoxia has on immunity are both challenging to investigate and important to understand.

Our research will consider the role of oxygen sensing in the immune system, particularly how changes in the amount of oxygen available in tissues act in immune responses to infections and cancer. 

An exploration of immune responses to hypoxia may allow us to alleviate unhelpful immune suppression and activate immune responses that could increase the efficiency and potency of anti-cancer immune therapies.