Ho Group: Translational Lung Immunology
- MRC TIDU
Immune mechanisms of lung injury, regeneration and fibrosis; identifying new therapeutic targets, and improved treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and sarcoidosis.
Our research group studies how immunological responses impact mechanisms of lung injury, regeneration and repair. Our projects are divided into mechanistic and translational studies. We have two aims:
- To understand the contribution of immune cells to chronic progressive lung fibrosis and alveolar regeneration
- To use this knowledge to bring new treatment and improved management to patients with fibrotic lung diseases ,focusing on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and fibrotic sarcoidosis.
We focus on both the lung tissue and blood in human studies, and longitudinal murine studies. In the lungs, we have developed methods (with mathematicians) to map out the spatial organisation of immune cells using mathematical tools, single cell imaging, mass cytometry and single cell transcriptomics.
Group Members
Prof Ling-Pei Ho, Dr Jeongmin Woo, Dr Neda Hasan, Mr Chaitanya Vuppusetty (Lab manager), Dr Praveen Weeratunga, Dr Harry Tian Hu, Dr Vishal Nathwani, Dr Sabrina Zulfikar, Dr Leila Baghaarabani & Dr Yaron Ben-Ami
Affiliates: Prof Daisy Yuejuan Zheng & Dr Andrew Achaiah
DPhil available
Elucidating the role of tissue-resident immune cells in alveolar epithelial regeneration and lung fibrosis
Potential applicants with at least a 2:1 in their first degree, are invited to email Prof Ho to discuss this project.
The lung is a distinct organ in terms of regeneration and self-renewal. In the steady-state, cell turnover is low, but after injury, it possesses tremendous ability to regrow its epithelium - a whole new lung segment can regenerate after partial pneumonectomy. Yet, in chronic lung disease e.g. idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), regeneration is rare or occurs abnormally. The project examines the role of tissue-resident immune cells (innate lymphoid cells, Tregs, resident alveolar macrophages) in maintaining steady-state quiescence and coordinating appropriate repair after injury of the alveolar epithelium. The work will focus on the use of spatial transcriptomics to examine the in situ changes in tissue resident immune cells in the lungs, its co-localisation with regenerating alveolar epithelium and alveolar progenitor cells during injury and regeneration/repair. There will be an emphasis on functional studies using alveolar organoids.
Contact details: Ling-pei.ho@imm.ox.ac.uk
Our team
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Ling-Pei Ho
Professor of Respiratory Immunology
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Tian Hu
DPhil Student
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Sabrina Zulfikar
Clinical Research Fellow
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Chaitanya Vuppusetty
Lab Manager
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Jeongmin Woo
Postdoctoral Researcher
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Praveen Weeratunga
DPhil Student
