Rachel Lawrence
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Rachel Lawrence is a Senior Lecturer in ImmunoParasitology. Her current research seeks to identify the host immunological environment that influences nematode clearance, survival and fecundity.
Biography
Apr 2007 – present Senior Lecturer, Royal Veterinary College, University of London.
2003 – 2007 Lecturer, Royal Veterinary College, University of London.
1998 – 2003 Lecturer in Immunology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester.
1995-1999 MRC Career Development Award. “Identification of host immune mechanisms that control establishment of the filarial nematode, Brugia malayi, and modulation of these responses by the parasite”, Imperial College, London.
1990-1995 Postdoctoral fellow working on immune responses to the parasitic nematodes,Brugia malayi and Nippostrongylus brasiliensis with Prof R.M. Maizels, Imperial College, London.
1987-1990 Postdoctoral fellow working on the influence of thymic epithelial cells on thymocyte development with Prof D. Dutton, University of California at San Diego, USA.
1987 PhD in Parasite Immunology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
1983 BSc (Hons) Biology, King’s College London.
Research
Research in the Lawrence lab integrates a range of approaches to answer basic biological questions about the control of parasitic infections by the immune system.
Currently our research falls broadly into four key areas:
1) The Eosinophil: Anti-parasite effector cell or mediator of pathology? (BBSRC project grant).
2) Mannose-binding lectin A (MBL-A): an innate immune component necessary for protection against parasites and for development of IgM responses (RVC PhD studentship).
3) Regulation of endothelial cell responses by the parasitic nematodes. (RVC PhD studentship in collaboration with Dr Charlotte Lawson).
4) Modulation of dendritic cell responses during infection with parasitic nematodes and protozoan parasites (PhD studentship funded by the Isle of Man and Pfizer).
For more information on the Lawrence lab research and lab members follow this link:
Teaching
- Chair of BSc Veterinary Sciences sub-committee
- Leader of 2nd Year BSc BioVeterinary Sciences
- Module leader for 'Parasitology of Human and Veterinary Tropical Diseases, BSc BioVeterinary Sciences Yr 3 half module
- 'Module leader for “Pathogens and Disease” Gateway to BVetMed course.
- Lecturer, 2nd Year BSc Veterinary Sciences (The enemy without).
- External Lecturer, MSc Parasitology and Entomology, LSHTM.
Selected Publications
BABAYAN, S.A., READ, A.F., LAWRENCE, R.A., BAIN, O., and ALLEN, J.E. (2010). Filarial parasites develop faster and reproduce earlier in response to host immune effectors which determine life expectancy. PLoS Biology, 8(10): e1000525.
SIMONS, J.E., GRAY, C.A. and LAWRENCE, R.A. (2010). Absence of regulatory IL-10 enhances innate protection against filarial parasites by a neutrophil-independent mechanism. Parasite Immunology, 32, 473-478. PubMed ID 20591117
CADMAN, E.T. and LAWRENCE, R.A. (2010). Granulocytes: Effector cells or immunomodulators in the immune response to helminth infection? Parasite Immunology 32,1-19. PubMed ID 20042003
LAWRENCE, R. A., CARTER, T., BELL, L. V., ELSE, K.J., SUMMERFIELD, J. A., & BICKLE, Q. (2009) Altered antibody responses in mannose-binding lectin-A deficient mice do not affect Trichuris muris or Schistosoma mansoni infections. Parasite Immunology, 31, 104-109. PubMed ID 19149778
LEWTHWAITE, J. C., CLARKIN, C. E., COATES, A. R., POOLE, S., LAWRENCE, R. A., WHEELER-JONES, C. P., PITSILLIDES, A. A., SINGH, M. & HENDERSON, B. (2007) Highly homologous Mycobacterium tuberculosis chaperonin 60 proteins with differential CD14 dependencies stimulate cytokine production by human monocytes through cooperative activation of p38 and ERK1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinases. Int Immunopharmacol 7, 230-240. PubMed ID 17178391
CARTER, T., SUMIYA, M., REILLY, K., AHMED, R., SOBIESZCZUK, P., SUMMERFIELD, J. A. & LAWRENCE, R. A. (2007) Mannose-binding lectin A-deficient mice have abrogated antigen-specific IgM responses and increased susceptibility to a nematode infection. J Immunol 178, 5116-5123. PubMed ID 17404294
SIMONS, J. E., ROTHENBERG, M. E. & LAWRENCE, R. A. (2005) Eotaxin-1-regulated eosinophils have a critical role in innate immunity against experimental Brugia malayi infection. Eur J Immunol 35, 189-197. PubMed ID 15593125
GILLAN, V., LAWRENCE, R. A. & DEVANEY, E. (2005) B cells play a regulatory role in mice infected with the L3 of Brugia pahangi. Int Immunol 17, 373-382. PubMed ID 15724063
GRAY, C. A. & LAWRENCE, R. A. (2002) Interferon-gamma and nitric oxide production are not required for the immune-mediated clearance of Brugia malayi microfilariae in mice. Parasite Immunol 24, 329-336. PubMed ID 12102718
GRAY, C. A. & LAWRENCE, R. A. (2002) A role for antibody and Fc receptor in the clearance of Brugia malayi microfilariae. Eur J Immunol 32, 1114-1120. PubMed ID 11920579
LAWRENCE, R. A. & DEVANEY, E. (2001) Lymphatic filariasis: parallels between the immunology of infection in humans and mice. Parasite Immunol 23, 353-361. PubMed ID 11472555
LAWRENCE, R. A. (2001) Immunity to filarial nematodes. Vet Parasitol 100, 33-44. PubMed ID 11522404
ZANG, X., ATMADJA, A. K., GRAY, P., ALLEN, J. E., GRAY, C. A., LAWRENCE, R. A., YAZDANBAKHSH, M. & MAIZELS, R. M. (2000) The serpin secreted by Brugia malayi microfilariae, Bm-SPN-2, elicits strong, but short-lived, immune responses in mice and humans. J Immunol 165, 5161-5169. PubMed ID 11046048
LAWRENCE, R. A., ALLEN, J. E. & GRAY, C. A. (2000) Requirements for in vivo IFN-gamma induction by live microfilariae of the parasitic nematode, Brugia malayi. Parasitology 120 ( Pt 6), 631-640. PubMed ID 10874726
MACDONALD, A. S., MAIZELS, R. M., LAWRENCE, R. A., DRANSFIELD, I. & ALLEN, J. E. (1998) Requirement for in vivo production of IL-4, but not IL-10, in the induction of proliferative suppression by filarial parasites. J Immunol 160, 4124-4132. PubMed ID 9558124
LAWRENCE, R. A., GRAY, C. A., OSBORNE, J. & MAIZELS, R. M. (1996) Nippostrongylus brasiliensis: cytokine responses and nematode expulsion in normal and IL-4-deficient mice. Exp Parasitol 84, 65-73. PubMed ID 8888733
LAWRENCE, R. A. (1996) Lymphatic filariasis: what mice can tell us. Parasitol Today 12, 267-271. PubMed ID 15275191
HOLMES, B. J., DIAZ-SANCHEZ, D., LAWRENCE, R. A., BELL, E. B., MAIZELS, R. M. & KEMENY, D. M. (1996) The contrasting effects of CD8+ T cells on primary, established and Nippostrongylus brasiliensis-induced IgE responses. Immunology 88, 252-260. PubMed ID 8690458
ALLEN, J. E., LAWRENCE, R. A. & MAIZELS, R. M. (1996) APC from mice harbouring the filarial nematode, Brugia malayi, prevent cellular proliferation but not cytokine production. Int Immunol 8, 143-151. PubMed ID 8671598
LAWRENCE, R. A., ALLEN, J. E., GREGORY, W. F., KOPF, M. & MAIZELS, R. M. (1995) Infection of IL-4-deficient mice with the parasitic nematode Brugia malayi demonstrates that host resistance is not dependent on a T helper 2-dominated immune response. J Immunol 154, 5995-6001. PubMed ID 7751642
ALLEN, J. E., LAWRENCE, R. A. & MAIZELS, R. M. (1995) Fine specificity of the genetically controlled immune response to native and recombinant gp15/400 (polyprotein allergen) of Brugia malayi. Infect Immun 63, 2892-2898. PubMed ID 7622210
LAWRENCE, R. A., ALLEN, J. E., OSBORNE, J. & MAIZELS, R. M. (1994) Adult and microfilarial stages of the filarial parasite Brugia malayi stimulate contrasting cytokine and Ig isotype responses in BALB/c mice. J Immunol 153, 1216-1224. PubMed ID 7913112
ALLEN, J. E., LAWRENCE, R. A. & MAIZELS, R. M. (1994) Antigen presentation and immune recognition of the gp15/400 glycoprotein of Brugia malayi. Parasite-Journal de la Societe Francaise de Parasitologie, 1, 46-47 Suppl. 1.
LAWRENCE, R. A. , ALLEN, J. E., OSBORNE, J. & MAIZELS, R. M. (1994) Adult and microfilarial stages of Brugia malayi stimulate different cytokine and immunoglobulin isotype responses in BALB/c mice. Parasite-Journal de la Societe Francaise de Parasitologie, 1, 44-45 Suppl. 1.
LAWRENCE, R. A. & DENHAM, D. A. (1993) Stage and isotype specific immune responses in a rat model of filariasis. Parasite Immunol 15, 429-439. PubMed ID 8233558
LAWRENCE, R. & DENHAM, D. A. (1992) Brugia pahangi infections in immune-compromised rats demonstrate that separate mechanisms control adult worm and microfilarial numbers. Parasite Immunol 14, 371-384. PubMed ID 1437230
MAIZELS, R. M. & LAWRENCE, R. A. (1991) Immunological tolerance: The key feature in human filariasis? Parasitol Today 7, 271-276. PubMed ID 15463386
LAWRENCE, R. & DENHAM, D. A. (1991) Brugia pahangi in rats: increasing the number of infective larvae inoculated increases the percentage of microfilaremic rats. J Parasitol 77, 173-175. PubMed ID 1992091