Dr. Kate Stacey (ARC Future)

Kate Stacey

Dr Kate Stacey’s research interest is in pathogen recognition by the innate immune system.

Early in viral infection the innate immune system is activated by recognition of viral DNA and RNA.

Dr. Stacey’s current work specifically focuses on the responses to foreign DNA within the cytoplasm of cells.

This DNA initiates anti-viral responses, such as cell death, induction of interferon and inflammatory molecules.

These responses are now known to be important for control of infections with several DNA viruses as well as cytoplasmic bacteria such as Listeria.

Dr Stacey is an Australian Research Council Future Fellow at the School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland.

DNA introduced into the cytoplasm of cells is rapidly recognized by members of the HIN-200 family, AIM2 and p202 (above)

AIM2 promotes and p202 inhibits the DNA-inflammasome

The University of Queensland