Through better understanding of how our immune system fights infection, we can develop more effective, longer-lasting ways to prevent, treat and cure a wide range of infectious diseases.
Our research is focused on understanding how immune cells respond to threats such as viruses, bacteria or parasites so we can identify new ways to boost the protectiveness of our immune system.
It’s the immune system’s job to recognise and remove any threat it encounters. However, many infectious or disease-causing organisms have developed clever strategies to bypass our immune system. In addition, the immune system can only respond to a threat it recognises, making it vulnerable to new infections.
Understanding how infectious agents influence, evade and modulate the human immune system to avoid detection and expulsion from the body is a key area of research at the Malaghan Institute.
Associated research groups
Related News
Clinical study shows booster needed to protect against Omicron
22 December 2022
In focus: A new chapter in mRNA vaccine technology
11 October 2022
Samoa Capital Radio - science series with the Malaghan Institute
3 October 2022
In focus: Fine-tuning mRNA vaccines to activate specific immune cells
12 July 2022
Dr Kerry Hilligan awarded HRC Emerging Researcher First Grant
31 May 2022
Homegrown COVID-19 booster vaccine: building New Zealand’s biomedical capability
23 May 2022