Hermans Laboratory

Using immune-based strategies to prevent and treat disease.

The use of vaccines to prevent infection has been a major advance in human health, but it is now clear that strategies to induce immune responses can also be used as a form of therapy for chronic diseases.

The Hermans Lab is investigating the cellular interactions required to elicit effective disease-fighting immune responses in key locations throughout the body. Their research focuses on stimulating T-cells, a group of immune cells that can selectively kill infected or malignant cells. 

Research from the Hermans Lab has led to new vaccine designs, including mRNA-based vaccines, that induce long-lasting T-cell responses in the liver. These vaccines could be used for liver-associated diseases like malaria and hepatitis, as well as liver cancer. In related work, the team is involved in developing new drugs that make solid tumours more likely to be targeted by T-cells.

The Hermans Lab works closely with internationally renowned chemists and immunologists, and has close links with international groups to test new concepts in relevant models of infection and cancer.

Research areas

• Cancer immunotherapy
• Infectious Disease
• Vaccine design

Research projects

• Development of mRNA vaccines for cancer and infectious diseases and cancer
• Developing drugs that help immune cells eliminate solid tumours

Collaborations

• Ferrier Research Institute
• The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity
• Victoria University of Wellington - Te Herenga Waka
• Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre