How cells of the immune system pass through blood vessel walls

An investigation into the expression and function of pericyte-associated chemokines in inflammation

Dr Tamara Girbl has been awarded an Immediate Postdoctoral Basic Science Research Fellowship of £230,500 for 3 years to take up a research position at Queen Mary University of London. Becoming a fellow at Queen Mary will enable her to solve unanswered questions about how cells of the immune system and blood vessel wall interact. Taking up this post will enable Dr Girbl to work closely with Professor Sussan Nourshargh at the William Harvey Research Institute, who is an expert in studying the movement and behaviour of blood cells through use of microscopy and genetically altered mice. Many types of heart and circulatory disease arise due to inappropriate activation of the immune system. Dr Girbl is interested in how white blood cells (an important type of immune cell) move through blood vessel walls. These cells are thought to be attracted to a particular area by molecules called chemokines, which attract and guide the white cells to an injured area of the circulatory system. Although this is an important response to an infection, understanding how it may be prevented could lead to new treatments for heart and circulatory disease.