Novel host-directed therapies for severe influenza virus infections

Inflammation in the lung is critical for host defence against viruses. However, excessive inflammation and immunopathology are characteristic features of fatal viral infections of the lung. Alarmingly, experts predict another influenza virus pandemic is inevitable. Current antiviral drugs, which target the virus itself, have limited efficacy. Without safe and effective therapies that promote viral resistance and protect against damaging host responses, pandemic viruses will continue to cause significant mortalities in the future. This project aims to identify new host-directed therapeutic targets and strategies that promote host resistance and dampen damaging inflammation. We will utilise in vitro and in vivo pre-clinical infection models. Techniques that will be employed include tissue culture, flow cytometry, microscopy, histology, western blot, ELISA, cytokine bead array and viral plaque assays.