Immunology of Infectious Disease Research Unit
Director:Assoc.
Prof. Frank Brombacher, Ph.D.
E-mail: fbrombac@uctgsh1.uct.ac.za
 Infectious
diseases continue to be a leading cause of childhood and adult morbidity and
mortality in many parts of the world, and are devastating to the African population
and economy, including South Africa, where they affects predominantly disadvantaged
communities.
Prof.
Frank Brombacher heads up the
Immunology of Infectious Diseases Research Unit.
Effective vaccine development
and eradication of human infectious diseases is a high priority for WHO and
our country. Consequently, our Unit covers four of the top ten most devastating
communicable diseases, declared by WHO and of high importance to the African
continent, namely :
- tuberculosis;
- malaria;
- leishmaniasis; and
- helminthic diseases
(bilharziosis).
Extension to a fifth prioritised
disease, i.e. African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) is envisaged.
Taking advantage of sophisticated
animal models for these human infectious diseases, i.e. gene deficient mouse
strains, we are defining host factors important for protective immune responses
in natural and acquired immunity to these diseases.
Our approach of studying
independent infectious diseases comparatively allows us to define common immunological
principles and mechanisms, generally important for immunity to infectious
diseases.
A better and deeper understanding
of these immune mechanisms will facilitate effective vaccine development to
achieve immunity for our population, as well as drug development for effective
and cheap patient therapy.
Our mission is to be relevant
as an excellent multidisciplinary and international team, embracing basic
and applied research, in order to improve capacity, teaching and training
in the immunology of infectious diseases.
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