Five minutes with 2011 Honours scholarship recipient:

Chloe Story

1. What is the purpose of your Honours project?

My project is investigating the role of the gene PRDMI in maintaining T regulatory cells (Tregs), the "policemen" of the immune system. Tregs regulate and suppress the actions of other immune cells, thereby keeping the immune response in check. When Tregs are in low numbers or deficient, a range of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases develop, such as type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease and asthma.

At the moment PRDM1 has an unknown role in its influence on Tregs and so by the end of the year I plan to know how PRDM1 affects the suppressive action of these immune cells. 

I hope that my research will provide insight into how gene expression may be controlled and that it will assist in developing new therapies for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

2. What inspired your interest in autoimmunity and the role of genes in the immune response?

During my medical degree I became particularly interested in immunology and genetics and fascinated by the wealth of research being undertaken to develop stem cell technologies and immune therapies.

I see my Honours year as an opportunity to contribute to the growing understanding of the kinds of autoimmune diseases that I hope to treat in the future. It is also my chance to learn more about how the immune system functions at the molecular level and use the fundamental skills I have gained in immunological and genetic research. Since Tregs and the genes that control them are central to the development of pro-inflammatory syndromes, the results of my project will not only be important to world of Treg research, but to immunology in general, which is very exciting!

3. What is the best thing about working at the Children's Research Centre?

The Children's Research Centre provides an environment where researchers are supported to conduct leading-edge study into clinically relevant areas. Working inside the Women's and Children's Hospital is a constant reminder of the significance of the outcomes of the research to the patients and their families.

For me as a newcomer to the CRC, it is really amazing to be working alongside internationally-recognised researchers from such diverse backgrounds. Associate Professor Simon Barry and Dr Timothy Sadlon have so much experience in the field of immunology and I find it inspiring to talk to them about their progress and discoveries.

4. What is your chosen methodology?

One way of studying PRDM1 function in a T regulatory cell is by examining what happens when the PRDM1 gene is eliminated or ‘knocked out'. New Tregs can be created which do not express PRDM1. I can then check whether these Tregs are still able to prevent the replication of different, pro-inflammatory Tregs, one of the core functions of a healthy immune system.

Research shows that there may be different forms of PRDM1 which are expressed at different levels when Tregs are either activated or ‘resting'. Comparing the protein products of various forms of PRDM1 will help us understand the mechanisms involved in Treg activation and the subsequent role of PRDM1.

I am particularly excited to be using analytical techniques such as western blotting and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) processes, which are very new to me!

5. How will your Children's Research Centre Scholarship help you achieve your future career ambitions?

I am at the stage where I am starting to consider different paths in medicine and the Scholarship exposes me to a number of possible research specialities, such as immunology, haematology or endocrinology. I have always wanted to work with children and adolescents, so I'm very happy to be working in a children's hospital where I feel my work is most relevant.