Central nervous system infections and inflammation
The CNS I3 node brings together researchers from different disciplines with the shared aim of finding better treatments or prevention strategies to deal with infections and immunological disorders affecting the brain and nervous system.
Diseases of the Central Nervous System
- Infection
- Inflammation
- Immunity
The CNS I3 node brings Sydney ID into partnership with several University of Sydney multidisciplinary centres including Brain and Mind Centre, National Centre of Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) and Westmead Precinct. CNS I3 node members are actively involved in research initiatives that foster collaboration between University of Sydney academics, scientists and clinicians, including:
- The Sydney Neuroimmunology Consortium, an SREI-funded initiative led by Fabienne Brilot-Turville that integrates laboratory and clinical research with health service provision and aims to develop diagnostic biomarkers and treatments for debilitating neurological diseases.
- Paediatric Active Enhanced Disease Surveillance (PAEDS), a nation-wide network led by NCIRS Director Kristine Macartney undertaking surveillance of childhood infections, particularly vaccine preventable diseases, and adverse events following immunisation.
- Projects in CNS pathogen discovery, evolution and characterisation involving researchers from Kids Research (Phil Britton), School of Environmental and Life Sciences (Eddie Holmes, Markus Hofer, Nick King) and The Westmead Institute for Medical Research (John-Sebastian Eden).
Node Leadership
Dr Philip Britton is the CNS I3 node leader and a Paediatric Infectious Diseases physician with a research focus on severe neurological infections in children, especially encephalitis. He is a coordinator of the Australian Childhood Encephalitis (ACE) study and co-leads the immunology of infectious diseases pillar of Sydney Neuroimmunology.
Key publications
- Britton PN, Dale RC, Blyth CC, Clark J, Crawford N, Marshall H, Elliott EJ, Macartney K, Booy R, Jones CA, for the Australian Childhood Encephalitis Study Investigators and the Paediatric Active Enhanced Disease Surveillance Network, Causes and Clinical Features of Childhood Encephalitis: A Multicenter, Prospective Cohort Study, Clinical Infectious Diseases, 1 Aug 2019
- Hayashida E, Ling ZL, Ashhurst TM, Viengkhou B, Jung SR, Songkhunawej P, West PK, King NJC and Hofer MJ (2019). Zika virus encephalitis in immunocompetent mice is dominated by innate immune cells and does not require T or B cells. Journal of Neuroinflammation