This year, World Immunisation Week focused on the important role vaccines play in protecting people of all ages against disease. To find out more about some of the life-saving work being done at the University of New England in this space, we spoke to Professor Natkunam Ketheesan from the School of Science and Technology about his research and why he loves the immunology field.
What work are you doing in the immunology space?
My team’s research focus is on investigating the interactions between selected bacterial pathogens and the human host. We have developed laboratory models to identify complex immunological mechanisms that enable disease causing bacteria to survive within the human host and cause disease. An understanding of these disease mechanisms is important to develop new treatment strategies and vaccines. One of my major interests is in rheumatic heart disease, a complication triggered by streptococcal infection. This heart condition causes untimely death in children and young adults in many counties. Another area is Q fever – a bacterial infection that is common in farm workers and those handling domestic animals. Our work in this area is to determine how better vaccines against Q fever can be developed in the future.
What sparked your interest in this topic?
Since childhood I have been interested in biology and in finding out how things work. The study of immunology has provided me the opportunity to continue with these interests and in doing so, I have been able to contribute to our understanding of immune mechanisms driving specific diseases.
Why are vaccines so important?
Before COVID-19, the vaccines against childhood infections that we have have prevented the death of over 30 million people between 2000 and 2019. As we all now know, our understanding of immunology was a key factor that enabled scientists to rapidly develop and roll out several new and effective vaccines against COVID-19. I would go to the extent of saying that without vaccines our lives would not be the same as we know it!
What would you say to someone considering going into the immunology field?
Go do it! The field of immunology is vast and is a multidisciplinary field which involves developing several skill sets. Therefore, most consider immunology as quite a daunting field. However, if you have a sound foundation in the basic science subjects you learn as an undergraduate, after completing post-graduate training, it will not be onerous to work in an area that involves immunology.
You can read more about Professor Ketheesan's research into rheumatic heart disease here.
