Sarah Rowland-Jones: African adventures
Professor Sarah Rowland-Jones talks about her research on HIV, first in Oxford then in Africa, in Kenya and in The Gambia.
Professor Rowland-Jones studies protective immunity against HIV infection. It was early recognized that cytotoxic T cells play an important part in the control of HIV-1 infection; exposure to the less pathogenic HIV-2 strain leads to protection agains HIV-1 in people with a certain HLA type.
Professor Sarah Rowland-Jones
HIV immunology
Professor Sarah Rowland-Jones studies immunity to virus infection, with a focus on how immune responses modify the outcome of HIV infection. She has undertaken clinical cohorts into HIV-1 and HIV-2 immunology in Kenya, Zimbabwe, China and the UK. Her research into HIV-2 – which is found predominantly in West Africa and leads to a high proportion of long-term non-progressors – has showed that people with non-progressive HIV-2 infection have a much stronger T cell response than those with the progressive infection. This research has provided valuable information for vaccine design. Professor Rowland-Jones’ group is part of the Nuffield Department of Medicine – she is currently based at the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine.
Translational Medicine
From Bench to Bedside
Ultimately, medical research must translate into improved treatments for patients. At the Nuffield Department of Medicine, our researchers collaborate to develop better health care, improved quality of life, and enhanced preventative measures for all patients. Our findings in the laboratory are translated into changes in clinical practice, from bench to bedside.