Dermot P. Kelleher

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Dermot P Kelleher is Head of the School of Medicine at the University of Dublin.

[edit] Research Interests

His major interest is in the biology of the gastrointestinal immune system and in the interaction between this system and epithelial biology. Hence the research has direct implications for the study of inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract including coeliac disease and Helicobacter pylori infection. The research projects within my group focus on the normal functioning of the T-lymphocyte and its role in intestinal inflammation. Gastrointestinal inflammation is under immunogenetic control and the genetics of coeliac disease are also a focus of the group. Lastly, we have an active molecular group which is concerned largely with epithelial cell biology. Summary of Research Projects include:

Signalling role of adhesion molecules on both peripheral and intestinal lymphocytes.
Research Collaborations Interactions between H pylori and the gastrointestinal epithelium.
Vaccine development for H pylori infection. Immunogenetics of gastrointestinal and liver disease. Summary of Research

Milestones:

Characterisation of biochemical mechanisms involved in integrin-mediated lymphocyte migration, a potential target for new therapeutic strategies.
Identification of mechanisms whereby Helicobacter pylori protects itself from antibody attacks.
Development and patenting of H pylori vaccine, which has been licensed to Chiron Corporation.
Characterisation of immunogenetics of Hepatitis C viral clearance.

Research Staff:

Research staff includes Wellcome Lecturers Postdoctoral fellows, Medical fellows and PhD students. The group is highly interactive and possesses skills in molecular and cell biology, protein chemistry and immunology. The group has access to state of the art molecular and cell biology equipment in the Institute of Molecular Medicine, St James' Hospital Dublin, Ireland, much of which has been purchased by peer reviewed equipment grants from the group. The group is virtually exclusively funded by peer-reviewed grant funding.