Home| Non-Clinical Senior Lecturer in Immunology |
Contact details:
| Tel: | +44 20 7882 8397 |
| Fax: | +44 20 7882 2181 |
| Email: | a.stagg@qmul.ac.uk |
| Address: | Centre for Immunology and Infectious Disease, |
Biography
Having obtained a first degree from the University of Birmingham, Dr Stagg conducted his PhD studies on T cells responses to Mycobacterium leprae at the National Institute for Medical Research at Mill Hill, London, under the supervision of Dr Jo Colston. His interest in dendritic cells developed during a post-doc in the laboratory of Prof. Stella Knight at the MRC Clinical Research Centre in Harrow where his research focused on the role of these cells in inflammatory joint disease triggered by bacterial infection. Next, Dr Stagg spent a short period as a visiting worker in the lab of Dr Joel Taurog at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, where he explored the role of dendritic cells in a transgenic model of HLA-B27 spondyloarthropathy. Upon his return to the Antigen Presentation Research Group at Imperial College London, Dr Stagg's interests developed into the area mucosal immunology, focusing initially on the genital tract and subsequently on the intestine. He is interested in interactions between dendritic cells and bacteria in regulating intestinal immunity with an emphasis on inflammatory bowel diseases and has continued to develop this research programme has continued since he joined the Blizard Institute in 2007.
Research Activity
Dr Stagg's current research focuses on the regulation of immune activity in the human intestine. His group aims to understand how dendritic cells underpin the tightly regulated recognition of gut bacteria that characterizes the healthy intestine and how they contribute to the dysregulated response that underlies inflammatory bowel disease. Current projects and interests include:
- Retinoic acid metabolism and dendritic cell ‘imprinting’ of lymphocyte homing in inflammatory bowel disease.
- Modulation of intestinal DC function with bacteria and biological drugs
- The role of gd T cells in the early immunological events that lead to inflammatory bowel disease
- Single cell resolution of phospho-signalling pathways in Crohn’s disease
Key Publications
- A. Vossenkaemper, O. Marchès, G. Warnes, P.D. Fairclough, J.O. Lindsay, A.J. Stagg, P.C. Evans, L.A. Luong, N.M Croft, S. Naik, G. Frankel, T.T. MacDonald. Inhibition of NF-kB signalling in human dendritic cells by the enteropathogenic Escherichia coli effector protein NleE. J. immunol. 185: 4118-4127 (2010).
- S.C Ng, S. Plamondon, M.A. Kamm, A.L. Hart, H.O. Al-Hassi, T. Guenther, A.J. Stagg and S.C Knight. Immunosuppressive effects via human intestinal dendritic cells of probiotic bacteria and steroids in the treatment of acute ulcerative colitis. Inflamm. Bowel. Dis. 16: 1286-1298 (2010).
- N. E. McCarthy, H. A. Jones, N. A. Marks, R. J. Shiner, P. W. Ind, H. O. Al-Hassi, N. R. English, C. M. Murray, J. Lambert, S. C. Knight and A. J. Stagg Inhaled allergen driven CD1 up-regulation and enhanced antigen uptake by activated human respiratory-tract dendritic cells in atopic asthma. Clinical and Experimental Allergy 37 72-82 (2007).
- A. Di sabatino, K.M. Pickard, J.N. Gordon, V. Salvati, G. Mazzarella, R.M. Beattie, A. Vossenkaemper, L. Rovedatti, N.A. Leakey, N.A. Croft, R. Troncone, G.R. Corazza, A.J. Stagg, G. Monteleone and T.T. MacDonald. Evidence for the role of interferon-alpha production by dendritic cells in the Th1 response in celiac disease. Gastroenterology 133: 1175-1187 (2007).
- J.O. Lindsay, K. Whelan , A.J. Stagg , P. Gobin, h. Omar Al-Hassi, N. Rayment, M. Kamm, S.C Knight and A. Forbes The clinical, microbiological, and immunological effects of fructo-oligosaccharide in patients with Crohn's disease. Gut 55 348-355 (2006).
