C-type lectins in antifungal immunity

Fungal infections are becoming more common and deadly, yet the body’s first line of defence against them remains poorly understood. This research will map out exactly how specific immune receptors—called C-type lectins—recognise fungi and trigger protective responses. The problem is that current antifungal drugs are limited, toxic, and increasingly ineffective as resistance spreads. We know that these lectin receptors are critical for immunity, but we do not know which of the many downstream systems they activate actually matter for fighting infection, nor how they interact with other immune sensors. Without this knowledge, designing better treatments is guesswork. This is fundamental science. If it succeeds, it will provide a molecular blueprint of antifungal immunity—showing which receptor-driven pathways are essential and which cause harmful inflammation. That blueprint could eventually guide the development of vaccines or drugs that boost the immune system’s natural ability to clear fungi, rather than poisoning the pathogen directly. Past work on these same receptors has already transformed our understanding of fungal immunity; this project aims to complete that picture.