The role and modulation of Dectin-1 function in innate and adaptive immunity.

A receptor on the surface of immune cells, called Dectin-1, acts as a sensor for fungal invaders, and this project will determine exactly how it triggers the body's defences against infections like thrush and bloodstream infections caused by *Candida albicans*. Fungal infections are a major and growing threat, particularly for hospitalised or immunocompromised patients, yet the immune system's first line of defence against them remains poorly understood. Dectin-1 is the key receptor that recognises the sugar molecules in fungal cell walls, but scientists do not fully know how its genetic variations affect a person's susceptibility to infection, nor how it influences antibody production by B-cells. This project will fill those gaps by studying human cells with different Dectin-1 gene variants, mapping the signalling pathways it activates, and testing whether purified beta-glucans—the sugars it detects—can be used as vaccine adjuvants to boost immune responses. If successful, the work could lead to better risk assessment for patients prone to fungal infections and open the door to new therapeutic strategies that harness Dectin-1 to fight not just fungi but other pathogens. The research is fundamentally curiosity-driven, but understanding this receptor's role in shaping adaptive immunity could eventually translate into improved vaccines or immune-modulating drugs.