Professor Marc Feldmann

My research interests focus on molecular mechanisms of autoimmune diseases, with a special interest in the role of cytokines in disease.  These interests range from gene regulation of cytokines, how innate and adaptive immune responses intersect via NFkB, TLR and cytokines, and extends to novel therapeutic approaches for autoimmune or other diseases. 

In immunology a particular interest is investigation of signalling pathways in dendritic cells, to provide DCs able to either tolerize or immunize effectively, and the evaluation of novel tolerizing or immunizing vaccines for autoimmune or other diseases.

In cytokine research, particular interests are the mechanism of chronicity in diseases, why the cytokine pathways are stuck on, rather than switching off as they do in normal cells. 

Much of my work is with long term collaborators Professor Fionula Brennan, Brian Foxwell and Ravinder Maini.

My work has the long term intent of helping develop new therapies, so called “Translational” research, and so there are close interactions with various Pharmaceutical and Biotech companies.

 

These interests have led to new treatments for rheumatoid arthritis based on the blocking of TNFα.

 

Feldmann, M. and Maini, R.N. (2003)  TNF defined as a therapeutic target for rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases.  Nature Medicine  9(10):  1245-1250.