Alice Trickett

Functional Genomics of Extreme Immune Responses

Inappropriate immune responses underpin various diseases and auto-inflammatory states including sepsis. Our current research goal is to define and characterise extreme immune response phenotypes which should resolve functional alleles, mechanisms of gene regulation and pathophysiology. Characterising individual extreme responders could contribute to better understanding patient specific responses to treatment and thus offer opportunities for personalised therapy. Furthermore, findings could provide insight into the critical mechanisms behind individual patient responses in sepsis including epigenetics and immune-metabolic adaption. Identifying key genes, networks and pathways for therapeutic intervention is particularly important given the high failure rate of drug trials, with genetic evidence enhancing predictions of drug efficacy.

I have worked as an RA in Julian Knight's group for the past 5 years with my main laboratory work involving cell culture and handling of patient blood samples.