Research is focused on the characterization of novel immunoregulatory pathways in immune mediated inflammatory disease. My laboratory has identified novel CD8 T cell - dendritic cell interactions that induce T helper 1 and inhibit T helper 2 responses and is currently investigating the molecular signals involved. Using novel cellular techniques we can culture substantial numbers of T cells from human lung biopsies which we are using to determine what drives tissue destructive processes in severe asthma and COPD.

We have collaborative links with: the Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma research in Davos, the Departments of Immunobiology and Allergy and Clinical Immunology at Yale, and the Departments of Allergy, Asthma and Respiratory Science and Renal Medicine at King’s College London. We are developing collaborative links with the Karolinksa Institute and the University of San Diego. Current projects include:

1. Regulation of the allergic immune response
2. CD8 T cell biology
3. Immunoregulatory dendritic cells
4. EPO resistance in chronic renal failure
5. Asthma and COPD

Huang D, Cai DT, Chua RY, Kemeny DM and Wong SH (2008) Nitric oxide synthetase-2 interacts with CD74 and inhibits its cleavage by caspase during dendritic cell development. J. Biol. Chem. 2830:1713-1722

Lo SY, Taylor JR, Wilkie S, Farzaneh F, Kemeny DM, Sadelain M, Dibb NJ and Maher J (2008)  Harnessing the tumour-derived cytokine, CSF-1, to co-stimulate T-cell growth and activation. Mol. Immunol. 45:1276-1287

Lo SY, Gorak-Stolinska P, Bachy V, Ibrahim MAA, Kemeny DM and Maher J (2007) M-CSF-mediated inhibition of dendritic cell differentiation - role of phosphatidylinositol 3’-kinase and delayed caspase activation. J. Leukocyte. Biol. 82:1446-1454

Kemeny DM and MacAry PA (2007) Immunology: making magic bullets. Brit. Med. J. 334

Wells JW, Cowled CJ, Giorgini A, Kemeny DM and Noble A (2007) Regulation of allergic airway inflammation by class I-restricted allergen presentation and CD8 T-cell infiltration. JACI. 119:226-234

Salagianni M, Wong KL, Thomas MJ, Noble A and Kemeny DM (2007) An essential role for IL-18 in CD8 T cell-mediated suppression of IgE responses. J. Immunol. 78: 4771-4778

Kussebi F, Karamloo F, Rhyner C, Schmid-Grendelmeier P, Salagianni M, Mannhart C, Akdis M, Soldatova L, Markovic-Housley Z, Von Beust BR, Kundig T, Kemeny DM, Blaser K, Crameri R and Akdis CA (2005) A major allergen gene-fusion protein for potential usage in allergen-specific immunotherapy. J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 115:323-329

Sawicka E, Noble A, Walker C and Kemeny DM (2004) Tc2 cells respond to soluble antigen in the respiratory tract and induce lung eosinophilia and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Eur. J. Immunol. 34:2566-2608

Cooper AC, Mikhail A, Lethbridge MW, Kemeny DM and MacDougall IC (2004) Pentoxifylline improves hemoglobin levels in erythropoietin-resistant anemic renal failure patients. J. Amer. Soc. Nephrol. 15:1877-1882

Sawicka E, Zuany-Amorim C, Manlius C, Trifilieff A, Brinkman V, Kemeny DM and Walker C (2003) Inhibition of Th1 and Th2 mediated airway inf lammation by the sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor agonist FTY720. J. Immunol. 171:6206-6214

Zuany-Amorim C, Sawicka E, Manilus C, Le Moine A, Brunet LR, Kemeny DM, Bowen G, Rook G and Walker C (2002) Suppression of airway eosinophilia by killed Mycobacterium vaccae-induced allergen specific regulatory T-cells. Nat. Med. 8:625-629

Thomas MJ, Noble A, Sawicka E, Askenase PW and Kemeny DM (2002) CD8 T cells inhibit IgE via dendritic cell IL-12 that promotes Th1 counter regulation. J. Immunol. 169:216-223

Lab Members: