Autoimmunity laboratory

The Autoimmunity Laboratory

Summary

Science

Laboratory

Scientist 1

Scientist 2

Science

Within the autoimmunity laboratory we use a combination of technologies to look for specific markers of an autoimmune process to assist in the clinical diagnosis and management of disease. The specific markers are antibodies that usually interact with and bind to antigens (recognisable foreign structures) on bacteria to initiate clearance of infection but in autoimmune disease attach specifically to molecules on ‘self’ tissue. These “auto”antibodies can be pathogenic, meaning they are directly responsible for causing tissue damage and associated symptoms. Alternatively they can be just associated with a condition, that is caused by other immune mediators.

• Background
• Laboratory