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9 June 2005
A Monash University researcher who is helping determine why some organ transplants are rejected has been awarded a high commendation in the Premier of Victoria's 2005 Award for Medical Research.
Ms Lauren Ely, who is undertaking her PhD at Monash, is studying proteins within the body's immune system that are able to identify "foreign" cells and cause organ transplant rejection.
Her work has earned her $8000 and a certificate in this year's Premier's Awards, presented today.
Ms Ely is working with Dr Jamie Rossjohn, from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Monash, and Professor James McCluskey, from the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Melbourne, in Monash's world-class Protein Crystallography Unit.
"We are interested in the structure and function of immune proteins because they are implicated in organ graft rejection," Ms Ely said.
"Knowledge of how the immune system recognises infected or foreign cells is important for our fundamental understanding of how the body controls infection and has therapeutic implications for organ graft rejection."
Ms Ely and her colleagues have studied a common immune protein interaction that is important in controlling the Epstein Barr virus, which causes glandular fever.
"We now know what the structure of these proteins are. This is an important step in understanding how they function; such knowledge can help clarify the basis for disease and potentially help with drug design," she said.
"I have also used protein crystallography to determine the fine structural details of histocompatibility molecules that are clinically implicated in transplant rejection."
Ms Ely said the award was recognition by the State Government of the contribution post-graduate students make to medical research.
"It will help with my current work as well as helping me to continue my career as a medical research scientist," she said.
For further information, contact Ms Diane Squires in the Monash University Media Communications Office on 9905 9315 or 0417 603 400. Photographs are available.
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