Professor Carl Feng
Our research is focused on the understanding of the mechanisms mediating host resistance to respiratory pathogens, with the goal of developing novel interventions for preventing and treating infectious diseases in humans. We investigate a range of basic aspects of innate and adaptive immune responses to Mycobacteriumtuberculosis and Influenza A virus in mice, from cytokine biology to immune regulation and tissue inflammation in the lungs. To understand the immunological basis of host control of the pathogens in humans, we are also extending our studies to examine the interplays betweenpathogen and host signalling pathways in human cells and to identify immune correlates of protection in infected human subjects through international collaborations.
Project title | Research student |
---|---|
Investigating the role of diverse microbial exposure in host defence against respiratory infections | Helen CHEN |
Single-cell multiome analysis of immune response in Menirè’s Disease patients | Pablo CRUZ GRANADOS |
Investigation of the immune mechanisms regulating tuberculosis granuloma formation | Lucia TANG |
Immune Landscape of Mycobacterial Granulomas | Wei XIAO |
Publications
Book Chapters
- Stifter, S., Coleman, M., Feng, C. (2014). Regulation of Host Response to Mycobacteria by Type I Interferons. In Dane Parker (Eds.), Bacterial Activation of Type I Interferons, (pp. 109-124). Cham, Switzerland: Springer. [More Information]
Journals
- Ding, Y., Tong, J., Luo, G., Sun, R., Bei, C., Feng, Z., Meng, L., Wang, F., Zhou, J., Chen, Z., Feng, C., et al (2024). Mycobacterial CpsA activates type I IFN signaling in macrophages via cGAS-mediated pathway. iScience, 27(5). [More Information]
- Cheng, H., Ji, Z., Wang, Y., Li, S., Tang, T., Wang, F., Peng, C., Wu, X., Cheng, Y., Liu, Z., Feng, C., et al (2024). Mycobacterium tuberculosis produces d-serine under hypoxia to limit CD8+ T cell-dependent immunity in mice. Nature Microbiology, 9(7), 1856-1872. [More Information]
- Hilligan, K., Namasivayam, S., Clancy, C., Baker, P., Old, S., Peluf, V., Amaral, E., Oland, S., O’Mard, D., Laux, J., Feng, C., et al (2023). Bacterial-induced or passively administered interferon gamma conditions the lung for early control of SARS-CoV-2. Nature Communications, 14(1). [More Information]
2024
- Ding, Y., Tong, J., Luo, G., Sun, R., Bei, C., Feng, Z., Meng, L., Wang, F., Zhou, J., Chen, Z., Feng, C., et al (2024). Mycobacterial CpsA activates type I IFN signaling in macrophages via cGAS-mediated pathway. iScience, 27(5). [More Information]
- Cheng, H., Ji, Z., Wang, Y., Li, S., Tang, T., Wang, F., Peng, C., Wu, X., Cheng, Y., Liu, Z., Feng, C., et al (2024). Mycobacterium tuberculosis produces d-serine under hypoxia to limit CD8+ T cell-dependent immunity in mice. Nature Microbiology, 9(7), 1856-1872. [More Information]
2023
- Hilligan, K., Namasivayam, S., Clancy, C., Baker, P., Old, S., Peluf, V., Amaral, E., Oland, S., O’Mard, D., Laux, J., Feng, C., et al (2023). Bacterial-induced or passively administered interferon gamma conditions the lung for early control of SARS-CoV-2. Nature Communications, 14(1). [More Information]
- Daniel, L., Counoupas, C., Bhattacharyya, N., Triccas, J., Britton, W., Feng, C. (2023). L-selectin-dependent and -independent homing of naïve lymphocytes through the lung draining lymph node support T cell response to pulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. PLoS Pathogens, 19(7). [More Information]
- Dai, Y., Zhu, C., Xiao, W., Huang, K., Wang, X., Shi, C., Lin, D., Zhang, H., Liu, X., Peng, B., Feng, C., et al (2023). Mycobacterium tuberculosis hijacks host TRIM21- and NCOA4-dependent ferritinophagy to enhance intracellular growth. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 133(8). [More Information]
2022
- Chen, J., Wang, F., Zhang, S., Lin, Q., Xu, H., Zhu, T., Peng, L., Cen, F., Li, F., Wang, Z., Feng, C., et al (2022). Activation of CD4+ T Cell-Derived Cannabinoid Receptor 2 Signaling Exacerbates Sepsis via Inhibiting IL-10. Journal of Immunology, 208(11), 2515-2522. [More Information]
- Zhang, S., Li, G., Bi, J., Guo, Q., Fu, X., Wang, W., Liu, S., Xiao, G., Ou, M., Feng, C., et al (2022). Association Between Functional Nucleotide Polymorphisms Up-regulating Transforming Growth Factor β1 Expression and Increased Tuberculosis Susceptibility. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 225(5), 825-835. [More Information]
- Rinchai, D., Deola, S., Zoppoli, G., Kabeer, B., Taleb, S., Pavlovski, I., Chew, T., Shojaei, M., Feng, C., Tang, B., et al (2022). High-temporal resolution profiling reveals distinct immune trajectories following the first and second doses of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. Science Advances, 8(45), eabp9961. [More Information]
2021
- Counoupas, C., Johansen, M., Stella, A., Nguyen, D., Ferguson, A., Aggarwal, A., Bhattacharyya, N., Grey, A., Hutchings, O., Patel, K., Siddiquee, R., Stewart, E., Feng, C., Palendira, M., Steain, M., Low, J., Mackay, J., Britton, W., Triccas, J., et al (2021). A single dose, BCG-adjuvanted COVID-19 vaccine provides sterilising immunity against SARS-CoV-2 infection. n p j Vaccines, 6(1), 143. [More Information]
- Chen, J., Liang, J., Xu, H., Liu, W., Liu, S., Duan, L., Li, F., Wang, Z., Liu, Y., McSharry, B., Feng, C., Zhang, G. (2021). Targeting aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling enhances type i interferon-independent resistance to herpes simplex virus. Microbiology Spectrum, 9(2), e00473-21. [More Information]
- Bhattacharyya, N., Counoupas, C., Daniel, L., Zhang, G., Cook, S., Cootes, T., Stifter, S., Bowen, D., Triccas, J., Bertolino, P., Feng, C., et al (2021). TCR affinity controls the dynamics but not the functional specification of the antimycobacterial CD4+ T cell response. Journal of Immunology, 206(12), 2875-2887. [More Information]
2020
- Dai, Y., Cai, Y., Wang, X., Zhu, J., Liu, X., Liu, H., Li, L., Zhang, Y., Liu, S., Wen, Z., Feng, C., et al (2020). Autoantibody-Mediated Erythrophagocytosis Increases Tuberculosis Susceptibility in HIV Patients. mBio, 11(1), e03246-19. [More Information]
- Ouyang, Q., Zhang, K., Lin, D., Feng, C., Cai, Y., Chen, X. (2020). Bazedoxifene suppresses intracellular Mycobacterium tuberculosis growth by enhancing autophagy. mSphere, 5(2), e00124-20. [More Information]
- Emran, A., Tseng, H., Coleman, M., Tiffen, J., Cook, S., McGuire, H., Gallagher, S., Feng, C., Hersey, P. (2020). Do innate killing mechanisms activated by inflammasomes have a role in treating melanoma? Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research, 33(5), 660-670. [More Information]
2019
- Zhu, C., Cai, Y., Zhu, J., Zhang, L., Xing, A., Pan, L., Jia, H., Mo, S., Feng, C., Shen, H., et al (2019). Histone deacetylase inhibitors impair the host immune response against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Tuberculosis, 118, 1-9. [More Information]
- Tang, B., Feng, C., McLean, A. (2019). Understanding the role of host response in influenza pneumonitis. Intensive Care Medicine, 45(7), 1012-1014. [More Information]
- Stifter, S., Bhattacharyya, N., Sawyer, A., Cootes, T., Stambas, J., Doyle, S., Feigenbaum, L., Paul, W., Britton, W., Sher, A., Feng, C. (2019). Visualizing the Selectivity and Dynamics of Interferon Signaling In Vivo. Cell Reports, 29(11), 3539-3550. [More Information]
2018
- Zhang, G., deWeerd, N., Stifter, S., Liu, L., Zhou, B., Wang, W., Zhou, Y., Ying, B., Hu, X., Y. Matthews, A., Triccas, J., Britton, W., Feng, C., et al (2018). A proline deletion in IFNAR1 impairs IFN-signaling and underlies increased resistance to tuberculosis in humans. Nature Communications, 9(1), 85. [More Information]
- Florido, M., Muflihah, H., Lin, L., Xia, Y., Sierro, F., Palendira, M., Feng, C., Bertolino, P., Stambas, J., Triccas, J., Britton, W. (2018). Pulmonary immunization with a recombinant influenza A virus vaccine induces lung-resident CD4+ memory T cells that are associated with protection against tuberculosis. Mucosal Immunology, 11(6), 1743-1752. [More Information]
2017
- Chatterjee, S., Talaat, K., Van Seventer, E., Feng, C., Scott, A., Jedlicka, A., Dziedzic, A., Nutman, T. (2017). Mycobacteria induce TPL-2 mediated IL-10 in IL-4-generated alternatively activated macrophages. PloS One, 12(6), 1-16. [More Information]
- Lev, S., Kaufman-Francis, K., Desmarini, D., Juillard, P., Li, C., Stifter, S., Feng, C., Sorrell, T., Grau, G., Bahn, Y., Djordjevic, J. (2017). Pho4 is essential for dissemination of Cryptococcus neoformans to the host brain by promoting phosphate uptake and growth at alkaline pH. mSphere, 2(1), 1-21. [More Information]
2016
- Woon, H., Braun, A., Li, J., Smith, C., Edwards, J., Sierro, F., Feng, C., Khanna, R., Elliott, M., Bell, A., Britton, W., Palendira, M., et al (2016). Compartmentalization of Total and VirusSpecific Tissue-Resident Memory CD8+ T Cells in Human Lymphoid Organs. PLoS Pathogens, 12(8), 1-19. [More Information]
- Triccas, J., Feng, C. (2016). Development and delivery of anti-tuberculosis drugs, vaccines and immunotherapeutics. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 102, 1-2. [More Information]
- Zhang, G., Liu, X., Wang, W., Cai, Y., Li, S., Chen, Q., Liao, M., Zhang, M., Zeng, G., Zhou, B., Feng, C., et al (2016). Down-regulation of miR-20a-5p triggers cell apoptosis to facilitate mycobacterial clearance through targeting JNK2 in human macrophages. Cell Cycle, 15(18), 2527-2538. [More Information]
2015
- Jankovic, D., Feng, C. (2015). CD4(+) T Cell Differentiation in Infection: Amendments to the Th1/Th2 Axiom. Frontiers in Immunology, 6, 198. [More Information]
- Stifter, S., Feng, C. (2015). Interfering with immunity: detrimental role of type I IFNs during infection. Journal of Immunology, 194(6), 2455-2465. [More Information]
2014
- Zhang, G., Zhou, B., Li, S., Yue, J., Yang, H., Yuxin, W., Zhan, S., Wang, W., Liao, M., Zhang, M., Feng, C., et al (2014). Allele-specific induction of IL-1β expression by C/EBPβ and PU.1 contributes to increased tuberculosis susceptibility. PLoS Pathogens, 10(10), 1-15. [More Information]
- Cai, Y., Yang, Q., Tang, Y., Zhang, M., Liu, H., Zhang, G., Deng, Q., Huang, J., Gao, Z., Zhou, B., Feng, C., et al (2014). Increased complement C1q level marks active disease in human tuberculosis. PloS One, 9(3), 1-11. [More Information]
- Stifter, S., Coleman, M., Feng, C. (2014). Regulation of Host Response to Mycobacteria by Type I Interferons. In Dane Parker (Eds.), Bacterial Activation of Type I Interferons, (pp. 109-124). Cham, Switzerland: Springer. [More Information]
2013
- Shenderov, K., Barber, D., Mayer-Barber, K., Gurcha, S., Jankovic, D., Feng, C., Oland, S., Hieny, S., Caspar, P., Yamasaki, S., et al (2013). Cord factor and peptidoglycan recapitulate the Th17-promoting adjuvant activity of mycobacteria through mincle/CARD9 signaling and the inflammasome. Journal of Immunology, 190(11), 5722-5730. [More Information]
2012
- Zhang, G., Zhou, B., Wang, W., Zhang, M., Zhao, Y., Wang, Z., Yang, L., Zhai, J., Feng, G., Wang, J., et al (2012). A functional single-nucleotide polymorphism in the promoter of the gene encoding interleukin 6 is associated with susceptibility to tuberculosis. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 205(11), 1697-1704. [More Information]
- Klionsky, D., Abdalla, F., Abeliovich, H., Abraham, R., Acevedo-Arozena, A., Adeli, K., Agholme, L., Agnello, M., Agostinis, P., Aguirre-Ghiso, J., Bendall, L., Feng, C., Sidhu, S., Xia, P., et al (2012). Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy. Autophagy, 8(4), 445-544. [More Information]
- Vazquez, N., Rekka, S., Gliozzi, M., Feng, C., Amarnath, S., Orenstein, J., Wahl, S. (2012). Modulation of Innate Host Factors by Mycobacterium avium Complex in Human Macrophages Includes Interleukin 17. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 206(8), 1206-1217. [More Information]
2011
- Barber, D., Mayer-Barber, K., Feng, C., Sharpe, A., Sher, A. (2011). CD4 T cells promote rather than control tuberculosis in the absence of PD-1-mediated inhibition. Journal of Immunology, 186(3), 1598-1607. [More Information]
- Triccas, J., Winter, N., Feng, C., West, N. (2011). Immunity to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Clinical & Developmental Immunology, 2011, 406549-406549. [More Information]
- Mayer-Barber, K., Andrade, B., Barber, D., Hieny, S., Feng, C., Caspar, P., Oland, S., Gordon, S., Sher, A. (2011). Innate and adaptive interferons suppress IL-1(alpha) and IL-1(beta) production by distinct pulmonary myeloid subsets during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Immunity, 35(6), 1023-1034. [More Information]
2010
- Antonelli, L., Rothfuchs, A., Goncalves, R., Roffe, E., Cheever, A., Bafica, A., Salazar, A., Feng, C., Sher, A. (2010). Intranasal Poly-IC treatment exacerbates tuberculosis in mice through the pulmonary recruitment of a pathogen-permissive monocyte/macrophage population. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 120(5), 1674-1682. [More Information]
- Feng, C., Sher, A. (2010). Parasites paralyze cellular host defense system to promote virulence. Cell Host and Microbe, 8(6), 463-464. [More Information]
- Feng, C., Wilson, M., Barber, D., Yarovinsky, F., Cheever, A., Sher, A., Griggs, M., Collins, M., Fouser, L., Wynn, T. (2010). Redundant and pathogenic roles for IL-22 in mycobacterial, protozoan, and helminth infections. Journal of Immunology, 184(8), 4378-4390. [More Information]
2009
- Henry, S., Daniell, X., Burroughs, A., Indaram, M., Howell, D., Coers, J., Starnbach, M., Hunn, J., Howard, J., Feng, C., et al (2009). Balance of Irgm protein activities determines IFN-gamma-induced host defense. Journal of Leukocyte Biology, 85(5), 877-885. [More Information]
- Rothfuchs, A., Egen, J., Feng, C., Antonelli, L., Bafica, A., Winter, N., Locksley, R., Sher, A. (2009). In situ IL-12/23p40 production during mycobacterial infection is sustained by CD11bhigh dendritic cells localized in tissue sites distinct from those harboring bacilli. Journal of Immunology, 182(11), 6915-6925. [More Information]
- Feng, C., Zheng, L., Lenardo, M., Sher, A. (2009). Interferon-inducible immunity-related GTPase Irgm1 regulates IFN gamma-dependent host defense, lymphocyte survival and autophagy. Autophagy, 5(2), 232-234. [More Information]
2008
- West, N., Wozniak, T., Valenzuela, J., Feng, C., Sher, A., Ribeiro, J., Britton, W. (2008). Immunological diversity within a family of cutinase-like proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Vaccine, 26(31), 3853-3859. [More Information]
- Alter-Koltunoff, M., Goren, S., Nousbeck, J., Feng, C., Sher, A., Ozato, K., Azriel, A., Levi, B. (2008). Innate immunity to intraphagosomal pathogens is mediated by interferon regulatory factor 8 (IRF-8) that stimulates the expression of macrophage-specific Nramp1 through antagonizing repression by c-Myc. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 283(5), 2724-2733. [More Information]
- Egen, J., Rothfuchs, A., Feng, C., Winter, N., Sher, A., Germain, R. (2008). Macrophage and T cell dynamics during the development and disintegration of mycobacterial granulomas. Immunity, 28(2), 271-284. [More Information]
2007
- Taylor, G., Feng, C., Sher, A. (2007). Control of IFN-gamma-mediated host resistance to intracellular pathogens by immunity-related GTPases (p47 GTPases). Microbes and Infection, 9(14-15), 1644-1651. [More Information]
- Jankovic, D., Kullberg, M., Feng, C., Goldszmid, R., Collazo, C., Wilson, M., Wynn, T., Kamanaka, M. (2007). Conventional T-bet(+)Foxp3(-) Th1 cells are the major source of host-protective regulatory IL-10 during intracellular protozoan infection. The Journal of Experimental Medicine, 204(2), 273-283. [More Information]
- Rothfuchs, A., Bafica, A., Feng, C., Egen, J., Williams, D., Brown, G., Sher, A. (2007). Dectin-1 interaction with Mycobacterium tuberculosis leads to enhanced IL-12p40 production by splenic dendritic cells. Journal of Immunology, 179(6), 3463-3471. [More Information]
2006
- Kullberg, M., Jankovic, D., Feng, C., Hue, S., Gorelick, P., McKenzie, B., Cua, D., Powrie, F., Cheever, A., Maloy, K., et al (2006). IL-23 plays a key role in Helicobacter hepaticus-induced T cell-dependent colitis. The Journal of Experimental Medicine, 203(11), 2485-2494. [More Information]
- Reiman, R., Thompson, R., Feng, C., Hari, D., Knight, R., Cheever, A., Rosenberg, H., Wynn, T. (2006). Interleukin-5 (IL-5) augments the progression of liver fibrosis by regulating IL_13 activity. Infection and Immunity, 74(3), 1471-1479. [More Information]
- Feng, C., Kaviratne, M., Rothfuchs, A., Cheever, A., Hieny, S., Young, H., Wynn, T., Sher, A. (2006). NK cell-derived IFN-gamma differentially regulates innate resistance and neutrophil response in T cell-deficient hosts infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Journal of Immunology, 177(10), 7086-7093. [More Information]
2002
- Palendira, M., Kamath, A., Feng, C., Martin, E., Chaplin, P., Triccas, J., Britton, W. (2002). Coexpression of interleukin-12 chains by a self-splicing vector increases the protective cellular immune response of DNA and Mycobacterium bovis BCG vaccines against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Infection and Immunity, 70(4), 1949-1956. [More Information]
- Palendira, M., Bean, A., Feng, C., Britton, W. (2002). Lymphocyte recruitment and protective efficacy against pulmonary mycobacterial infection are independent of the route of prior Mycobacterium bovis BCG immunization. Infection and Immunity, 70(3), 1410-1416. [More Information]
2001
- Feng, C., Britton, W., Demangel, C., Kamath, A., Macdonald, M. (2001). Dendritic cells infected with Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette Guerin activate CD8+ T cells with specificity for a novel mycobacterial epitope. International Immunology, 13, 451-458. [More Information]
- Feng, C., Britton, W., Blanchard,, T., Smith, G., Hill, A. (2001). Induction of CD8+ T-lymphocyte responses to a secreted antigen of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by an attenuated vaccine virus. Immunology and Cell Biology, 79, 569-575. [More Information]
- Feng, C., Palendira, M., Britton, W., Demangel, C., Spratt, J., Malin, A. (2001). Priming by DNA immunization augments protective efficacy of Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guerin against tuberculosis. Infection and Immunity, 69, 4174-4176.
Selected Grants
2024
- Host-directed approaches to target granuloma pathways for treatment shortening in tuberculosis, Feng C, US Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity/Research Grant
2023
- Rewarding Research 2024, Feng C, Faculty of Medicine and Health/FMH Rewarding Research Success
- Untangling the complexity of granulomas in human mycobacterial diseases, Feng C, National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)/Ideas Grant