Professor Judith Allen

Email: judi.allen@manchester.ac.uk

Research profile and key clinical specialties

The Allen laboratory investigates the host immune response to parasite infection with a particular focus on type 2 immunity, the response mammals characteristically make to large multicellular parasites (helminths).

A major research theme of the lab has been to investigate the function of macrophages activated by type 2 cytokines and their role in anti-helminth immunity.

Prof Allen’s research interests include the relationship of anti-helminth immunity to wound repair pathways, and understanding the challenges faced by the immune system during co-infection with both micro and macroparasites.

Two key publications

• Tara E. Sutherland, Nicola Logan, Dominik Rückerl, Alison A. Humbles, Brigitta Stockinger, Rick M. Maizels & Judith E. Allen. 2014. Chitinase-like proteins promote IL-17-mediated neutrophilia in a trade-off between nematode killing and host damage. Nature Immunology. 15(12):1116-25
•  Alexandra Donlan et al. IL-13 is a driver of COVID-19 severity. 2021 JCI Insight. 6(15) e150107

Possible PhD projects

• Type 2 cytokines as regulators of tissue remodelling during helminth infection and tissue fibrosis.
• Cross-talk between pro-inflammatory IL-17, tissue reparative IL-13, and the extracellular matrix, during infection and injury

More Information

All PhD students have completed on time and continued to successful academic posts including 5 Wellcome Trust students. Prof Allen holds a Wellcome Trust Investigator award and programme funding from the MRC.

Keywords: type 2 immunity, mammals, parasites, macrophages, co-infection, macroparasites, neutrophilia, anti-helminth immunity, Allen Laboratory, Judi, Allen, Manchester

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