Skip to content
University of East London
  • Staff login
  • Student login
  • Study

    Study

    Site Navigation - Quick Links

    • Why UEL?
    • Undergraduate prospectus
    • Postgraduate prospectus
    • Sport at UEL

    Undergraduate study

    View all of our undergraduate subjects.

    Explore now
    • Undergraduate

      Find an undergraduate course that will prepare you for the jobs of the future

    • Postgraduate

      Study with us, find the most suitable postgraduate course for you

    • May starts

      Many of our postgraduate courses also have May intakes.

    • Term dates

      View our academic calendars

    • Apprenticeships

      Find out what courses allow you to earn while you learn

    • Subjects

      Our courses are designed in partnership with employers, browse our subject areas

    • Fees and funding

      Find out about fees and funding and how to find advice and support

    • Accommodation

      We offer convenient, comfortable and secure accommodation

    • Student life

      Find out what it's like to be a student here

    • Current students

      Helpful links and resources for our existing students

    • New students

      If you’re joining UEL, here’s all you need to get started.

    • Pre-Entry and Short Courses

      Find out what options are available to you if you don't have the qualifications normally expected for university entry

    • Open Days and tours

      Explore UEL at our Open Days and virtual events

  • International

    International

    Site Navigation - Quick Links

    • Why UEL?
    • Undergraduate prospectus
    • Postgraduate prospectus
    • Sport at UEL

    Virtual Open Events

    Need support during your admission journey?

    Attend our virtual events
    • Regions

      Read tailored application advice for your region of the world

    • UEL webinars

      Book open events, subject based webinars and much more!

    • Malvern House pathway programmes

      Discover our range of pre-degree pathway courses for international students

    • Pre-sessional English

      Join this online programme to gain the level of English language skills necessary to study at UEL

    • Transferring to UEL

      It may be possible to transfer to UEL from your current university, explore your options

    • Immigration advice and compliance

      Get free and confidential advice and information on immigration and related issues

  • Your Career

    Your Career

    Site Navigation - Quick Links

    • Why UEL?
    • Undergraduate prospectus
    • Postgraduate prospectus
    • Sport at UEL

    Are you an employer?

    Advertise a vacancy on our platform today.

    Get started
    • Career Zone

      Use our digital platform to access resources to help start your career

    • Explore your career

      Use our EMSI Career Coach tool to help you find a job with your degree

    • Be your own boss

      Find out how our Student Enterprise team can help you develop your business venture

    • Meet employers

      Meet potential employers on-campus and online. Join our many career events

    • Career coaching and mentoring

      We offer employability support during your UEL journey. Learn about how we can help you

    • Volunteering

      We offer opportunities to develop transferable skills through volunteering. Find out more!

    • Work while you study

      Get work experience while you study. See available options

  • Partners

    Partners

    Site Navigation - Quick Links

    • Why UEL?
    • Undergraduate prospectus
    • Postgraduate prospectus
    • Sport at UEL

    Are you an employer?

    Advertise a vacancy on our platform today.

    Get started
    • Talent Gateway

      We are your gateway for academic, business and workforce development partnerships at UEL

    • Develop your workforce

      We offer a portfolio of courses that help you future-proof your workforce for Industry 4.0

    • Give back

      Help us prepare the next generation of workforce to be career ready

    • Work with our students

      We offer employers opportunities to engage with our young talent. Learn more!

  • Our Research

    Our Research

    Site Navigation - Quick Links

    • Why UEL?
    • Undergraduate prospectus
    • Postgraduate prospectus
    • Sport at UEL

    REF 2021

    Read about our Research Excellence Framework submissions and results

    Impact case studies
    • Postgraduate research students

      We offer a supportive postgraduate research and study environment

    • Research impact

      Read about how our research has made a difference

    • Partnerships

      Our researchers work with a variety of organisations, providing support, resources and knowledge transfer

    • REF 2021

      Read about our Research Excellence Framework submissions and results

  • About

    About

    Site Navigation - Quick Links

    • Why UEL?
    • Undergraduate prospectus
    • Postgraduate prospectus
    • Sport at UEL

    Connected campus

    We are improving our three campuses for people to study, work and live.

    What we're doing
    • Location

      East London is a cultural, commercial and financial hub. Find out more!

    • Events

      Find and book the latest events including open days and campus tours

    • News

      Read our latest news and general updates

    • Alumni

      Keep up with our news and offers by updating your details now

    • How we teach

      Read about our personalised, flexible approach that takes account of your career-readiness

    • Mental wealth

      Our Professional Fitness & Mental Wealth programme sits at the heart of every course we offer

    • Our Schools

      Explore the six Schools across the University

    • Contact us

      Find useful numbers and links to contact the right person for your query

    • Finding us

      We're based in Stratford and London Docklands. Learn more about our two superb campuses and get directions.

    • Governance

      Find out about governance, the Board, legal information and compliance, and quality assurance

    • Vision 2028

      An impactful, future-focused, careers-led university

    • Professional services

      UEL offers various professional services to students, staff and alumni. Find out what we have on offer

    • Nursery

      We provide opportunities for children to learn through play. Find out how to book a place for your child

    • Sustainable Development Goals

      Discover how we are responding to the United Nations' urgent call to action for a better world

    • Staff

      Helpful links and resources for our existing staff

    • Accreditations

      We work with a wide range of accreditation bodies to ensure that our courses and services are at the highest standards possible.

    • Never not

      UEL is Never Not Pushing Forward. Learn how our University maintains a forward-thinking mindset.

    • Virtual hub

      Our programme of virtual events has something for everyone. Discover upcoming events and information sessions.

    • Sustainability

      UEL's strives to be the most sustainable university in London. Find out more

    • Cookies and Cookies Notice

  • Home
  • Our research
  • Research school health sport bioscience

Infection and Immunity Research Group

Hero Carousel

Bioscience Lab

We explore the interactive role between the host immune response and pathogen helping to identify what causes disease pathologies.

About us

Our multidisciplinary team provides a broad mixture of skills enabling us to synergistically deliver our research aims. Our group provides a forum supporting a broad range of related research areas recognised both nationally and internationally. This in turn has resulted in several fruitful collaborative links with prestigious institutions around the globe. Through working as a research-oriented group, we provide a scientifically stimulating environment to enhance and benefit the experience of our post-graduate research students.

  •  Our focus is primarily elucidation of the mechanisms that underpin the development of the immune system and the function of the immune response at both cellular and acellular levels.
  •  Investigation of potential virulence factors and other mechanisms utilised by pathogens compared to their less virulent environmental counterparts.
  •  Assessment of interactions between host and pathogens that might influence clinical consequences or likelihood of infection.
Infection and Immunity group team

Group members

The group is co-ordinated by Sally Cutler with the following staff and students actively contributing: 

  • Abdessamad Ababou
  • Adefolake Ayinke Bankole
  • Amrutha Chilumuri
  • Claudio Scotti
  • David Guiliano
  • Eleftheria Arvaniti
  • Eva Galante
  • Fahim Ghourbandi
  • Hanieh Khalili
  • Irada Asadova
  • Jordan Bazoer
  • Julie Botticello
  • Kate Elizabeth Adams
  • Kenneth Castillo
  • Krishalle Richmond
  • Lesley Smyth
  • Misaki Seto
  • Rexford Osae-Twum
  • Samantha Lansdell
  • Stefano Casalotti

Recent publications

Accordion

2012

  •  
  • Cutler, S.J., Abdissa, A., Adamu, H., Tolosa, T., Gashaw, A. (2012) Bartonella in Ethiopian lice. Comparative Immunology, Microbiology & Infectious Diseases 35: 17-21.
  • Cutler, S.J., Abdissa, A., Adamu, H., Tolosa, T., Gashaw, A. 2012 Borrelia in Ethiopian ticks. Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases 3: 14-17.
  • Pader, V., Nikitorowicz-Buniak, J. Abdissa, A., Adamu, H., Tolosa, T., Gashaw, A. Cutler, S.J. Rickettsia hoogstraalii in Ethiopian Argas persicus ticks. Ticks & Tick-Borne Diseases in press.
  • Cutler, S.J. Frangoulidis D. (2012) Coxiella burnetii – Q fever. BSL3 and BSL4 Agents: Epidemiology, Microbiology and Practical Guidelines. Editors Mandy Elschner, Sally Cutler, Manfred Weidman and Patrick Butaye Wiley-VCH.
  • Alice N. Maina; Stephanie Speck; Eva Spitalska; Rudolf Toman; Gerhard Dobler; Sally J. Cutler (2012) Rickettsiosis- Rickettsia species. BSL3 and BSL4 Agents: Epidemiology, Microbiology and Practical Guidelines. Editors Mandy Elschner, Sally Cutler, Manfred Weidman and Patrick Butaye Wiley-VCH.
  • Sally J. Cutler, Michel S. Zygmunt & Bruno Garin-Bastuji (2012) Brucellosis – Brucella species. BSL3 and BSL4 Agents: Epidemiology, Microbiology and Practical Guidelines. Editors Mandy Elschner, Sally Cutler, Manfred Weidman and Patrick Butaye Wiley-VCH.
  • Knobel DL, Maina AN, Cutler SJ, Ogola E, Feikin DR, Cleaveland S, Junghae M, Halliday JEB, Breiman RF, Njenga MK. Coxiella burnetii in humans, animals and ticks in Kenya. Am J Trop Med & Hyg 2012 in press.
  • Haitham E, Gimenez G, Robert C, Cutler SJ, Raoult D, Drancourt M. Complete genome sequence of Borrelia crocidurae. J Bacteriol in press April 2012.
  • Haitham E, Gimenez G, Sokhna C, Barker SC, Cutler SJ, Raoult D, Drancourt M. Multispacer sequence typing relapsing fever borreliae in Africa. PLoS Neglected Diseases 2012 in press.
  • Lau CI*, Outram SV*, Saldaña JI, Furmanski AL, Dessens JT, Crompton T. Regulation of murine normal and stress-induced erythropoiesis by Desert Hedgehog (Dhh). Blood. 2012 Mar 28. [Epub ahead of print] * equal contribution.
  •  
Accordion

2011

  •  
  • Cutler, S.J., Rinky, I.J., Bonilla, E.M. 2011 Does RecA have a role in Borrelia recurrentis? Clinical Microbiology & Infection 17 (2) 195-7.
  • Palma M, Lopes de Carvalho I, Figueiredo, M, Amaro, F, Boinas F, Cutler SJ, Núncio MS. 2011. Borrelia hispanica in Ornithodoros erraticus, Portugal. Clinical Microbiology & Infection. 10.1111/j.1469-0691.2011.03623.x.
  • Cutler, S. (2011) Spirochaetes: past lessons to future directions. Clinical Microbiology & Infection 17 (4) 481-3.
  • Antoniou A. N., Guiliano D. B., Lenart I., Burn G. and Powis S. (2011) The redox status of HLA-B27 and the influence on biosynthesis Antioxidants and Redox Signalling Aug 1;15(3):669-84
  • Lenart I., Guiliano D. B. , Burn G., Campbell E.C., Morley K.D., Fussell H., Powis S. and Antoniou A. N. (2011) The MHC Class I Heavy Chain Structurally Conserved Cysteines 101 and 164 Participate in HLA-B27 Dimer Formation. Antioxidants and Redox Signalling 2011 Sep 15 [Epub ahead of print]
  • Antoniou A.N., Lenart I., Guiliano, D.B. (2011) Pathogenicity of Misfolded and Dimeric HLA-B27 Molecules International Journal Rheumatology ;2011:486856. Epub 2011
  •  
Accordion

2010

  •  
  • Cutler, S.J. (2010) Relapsing Fever - A forgotten disease revealed. Journal for Applied Microbiology 108: 1115-1122.
  • Cutler SJ, Fooks AR, van der Poel WHM. (2010) Public health threat of new, reemerging, and neglected zoonoses in the industrialized world. Emerg Infect Dis 16 (1) 1-7.
  • Cutler, S.J. Bonilla, E.M., Singh, R. 2010 Insights into the Population Structure of East African Relapsing Fever Borrelia. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 16 (7) 1076-1080.
  • Grosskinsky, S. Schott, M., Brenner, C., Cutler, S.J., Simon, M.M. Wallich, R. 2010 Human complement regulators C4b-binding protein and C1 esterase inhibitor interact with a novel outer surface protein of Borrelia recurrentis. PLoS Neglected Diseases 4(6): e698.
  • Antoniou A.N., Lenart I., Guiliano, D.B. and Powis S.J. (2010) Antigen processing and presentation by MHC I, II, and non-classical molecules, Principles in Vaccinology
  • Drakopoulou E*, Outram SV, Rowbotham NJ, Ross SE, Furmanski AL, Saldana JI, Hager-Theodorides AL, Crompton T. (2010) Non-redundant role for the transcription factor Gli1 at multiple stages of thymocyte development. Cell Cycle. 2010 Oct 15;9(20):4144-52. * Equal contribution.
  •  
Accordion

2009

  •  
  • Cutler, S.J. (2009) Myths, legends and realities of relapsing fever borreliosis. Clinical Microbiology & Infection Editorial 15:395-6.
  • Cutler, S.J., Abdissa, A. & Trape, J-F. (2009) New Concepts for the Old Challenges of African Relapsing Fever Borreliosis. Clinical Microbiology & Infection.15: 400-6.
  • Grosskinsky S, Schott M, Brenner C, Cutler SJ, Kraiczy P, et al. 2009 Borrelia recurrentis Employs a Novel Multifunctional Surface Protein with Anti-Complement, Anti-Opsonic and Invasive Potential to Escape Innate Immunity. PLoS ONE 4(3): e4858. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004858
  • Outram, SV, Hager-Theodorides, AR*, Shah, DK*, Rowbotham, NJ, Drakopoulou, E, Ross, SE, Lanske, B, Dessens,JT and Crompton, T., (2009). Indian hedgehog (Ihh) both promotes and restricts thymocyte differentiation. *equal contribution. Blood. Mar 5;113(10):2217-28.
  • Rowbotham, NJ, Hager-Theodorides, AL, Furmanski, AL, Ross, SE, Drakopoulo, E, Outram, SV, Dessens. JT, and Crompton, T. (2009). Shh negatively regulates pre-TCR induced differentiation by a Gli2 dependent mechanism. Blood. 2009 May 21;113(21):5144-56. Epub 2009 Mar 9
  • Hager-Theodorides, AL, Furmanski, AL, Ross,S, Outram, SV, Rowbotham NJ and Crompton, T. The Gli3 transcription factor, expressed in the thymus stroma, controls thymocyte negative selection via hedgehog dependent and independent mechanisms.J Immunol. 2009 Sep 1;183(5):3023-32. Epub 2009 Aug 10.
  • Guiliano, D.B. and Oksov, Y, (2009) Trichinella and the nurse cell "Intracellular niches of microbes" Edited by Schaible U.E. and Haas A. Wiley- VCH, Weinheim.
  • Guiliano, D.B., Oksov, Y, Lustigman S., Gounaris K., and Selkirk M.E. Characterisation of novel protein families secreted from the muscle stage larvae of Trichinella spiralis. (2009) Int. J. of Parasitology Apr;39(5):515-24.
  •  

Presentations

Accordion

Invited Presentations 2009-2012

  •  
  • Cutler, S. J..& Joanna Nikitorowicz-Buniak "Preliminary molecular characterisation of a Rickettsia species present in the soft tick Ornithodoros moubata" Medical Biodefence Conference,2009, Munich, Germany 21 -23 October 2009.
  • Cutler, S.J. "Dilemmas in Rickettsial diagnostics" Seminar Walter Reed, Kisumu, Kenya, 25 September 2009.
  • Cutler, S.J. "Relapsing fever – forgotten not gone"  SfAM Summer meeting, Manchester 6-8 July 2009
  • Cutler, S.J. "Fresh air or is it? A tale of Q fever" IBMS congress 28 September 2009, Birmingham.
  • Guiliano, D.B. "HLA-B27 modulates Salmonella infection of epithelial cells" Spondyloarthritis Research and Treatment Network (SPARTAN) Houston, Texas, USA July 2009.
  • Guiliano, D.B. "Trichinella and the Nurse Cell: Making muscle a home" International Conference on Intracellular Niches of Microbes Borstel, Germany June 2009.
  • Guiliano, D.B. "Does HLA-B27 influence Gram-negative bacterial infection?" Windeyer Institute seminar series, University College London, London, UK April 2009.
  • Cutler, S.J. Once bitten twice shy - insights into arthropod-borne infections. London Regional IBMS meeting 19 October 2010, London, UK.
  • Cutler, S.J. Microbe 2010, Sheffield 24 -26 September 2010.
  • Cutler, S.J. New insights into Brucellosis and Relapsing Fever - a molecular perspective. Jimma University, Ethiopia 28 July 2010.
  • Cutler, S.J. Relapsing Fever - Forgotten disease revealed. Austrian Medical & Hygiene Association 17 -20  May 2010, Vienna, Austria.
  • Cutler, S. J. Fur, feather and fever - changing trends in zoonotic infections. Regional Virology Tribute Meeting, Norwich 13 March 2010.
  • Guiliano, D.B. "The folding status of HLA-B27 influences the outcome S. typhimurium infection" British Society for Immunology, Liverpool, UK December 2010.
  • Guiliano, D.B. "Salmonella Typhimurium infection activates and requires ER stress responses.' Infection and Immunity seminar series, University College London, London, UK June 2010.
  • Cutler, S.J. One Health Control of Bacterial Zoonoses. Infectious Disease and One Health: Vaccines and Therapeutics Meeting Emory University/CDC, Atlanta, USA 2 February 2011.
  • Cutler, S.J. Thirty years in Medical Microbiology - what has changed? Wessex Applied Microbiology meeting 1 - 3 April 2011.
  • Cutler, S.J. Microbiological dangers of water sports. Institute of Biomedical Sciences Congress, Birmingham, 26-28 September 2011.
  • Cutler, S.J. Emerging technologies and pathogen discovery. Institute of Biomedical Sciences Congress, Birmingham 26 -28 September 2011.
  •  

Grants

Accordion

Recent Funding Awarded

  •  
  • 2009 - Nuffield vacation studentship characterising a Rickettsial species found in the African soft tick Ornithodoros moubata. Funded £1500. [Cutler]
  • 2009 - Wellcome Trust Value in People Award (VIP). UCL/Wellcome Trust £26,474 [Outram]
  • 2009 - The regulation of early thymocyte development by morphogen signalling. BBSRC Standard proposal £512,000 [Outram]
  • 2006/2009 - Connexin composition in the inner ear. BBSRC £350,000 [Casalotti]
  • 2009 - Relapsing fever Borrelia in Ethiopian lice and ticks. SGM £2945 [Cutler]
  • 2011 - Changes in gene expression related to drug addiction. Start up research grant UEL £2,000 [Stefano Casalotti]
  • 2011 - Rickettsia in soft ticks. UEL Research Development Funding £5000 [Cutler]
  • 2011 - In situ typing of leptospirosis among UK wildlife. Nuffield vacation studentship. £1588 [Cutler]
  • 2011 - The role of Hedgehog signalling in T cell activation and proliferation. UEL start up grant £2000 [Outram]
  • 2011 - Virulence factors in Arcobacter. UEL Undergraduate Research Internship Scheme, £ 2,000 [Scotti]
  • 2011 - Do Leptospira spp. in environmental and wildlife pose a risk to human or veterinary health? UEL Undergraduate Research Internship Scheme £2000 [Cutler]
  • 2011 - Children’s Center for Immunology and Vaccines (CCIV) Pilot Award, Emory University in collaboration with T. Lamb (Emory) and J. Mead (CDC) $50,000 [Guiliano]
  • 2012 - Investigation into the role of Sonic Hedgehog in B cell development using microarray gene analysis. Early Career Research Award (ECRA) £9710 [Outram]
  • 2012 - Development of a novel probiotic vaccine delivery system. Early Career Research Award (ECRA) £8317 [Guiliano]
  • 2012 - UEL summer internship - Bartonella in head lice (2012 £2000) [Cutler]  
  • 2013 - SfAM Students into work (2013 £2500) [Cutler]  
  • 2013 - UEL School-funded PhD studentship; 3 years. [Cutler; Guiliano; Scotti]
  •  

Help us make this site better by telling us what you think about this page

Social Media

Follow us on social media:

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Youtube Instagram TikTok

University of East London

University Way

London, E16 2RD

United Kingdom



T. +44 20 8223 3000


Explore UEL

  • About UEL
  • Take a Virtual Tour
  • Calendars
  • Freedom of Information
  • Governance Management
  • Services and Departments
  • Find Us
  • Contact Us

The University

  • Undergraduate
  • Postgraduate
  • News
  • Events
  • Jobs

University of East London

University Way

London, E16 2RD

United Kingdom



T. +44 20 8223 3000


Copyright ©2023 University of East London

  • Accessibility
  • Data Protection
  • Sitemap
  • AccessAble
  • Modern Slavery
  • Legal & Compliance