Pamela Russell

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Pamela J. Russell AM FAHMS was an Australian academic researcher of immunology, bladder and prostate research. [1] Russell was awarded Membership of the Order of Australia (AM) for her research on prostate and bladder cancer in 2003. [2]

Contents

Biography

Russell was Emeritus Professor at the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, based at the Translational Research Institute (Australia) [3] and adjunct professor, Centre for Advanced Imaging, University of Queensland. [4]

Education and training

Russell trained in immunology at Walter & Eliza Hall Institute, where she obtained an MSc with Sir Macfarlane Burnet. Subsequently, Prof. Russell completed a PhD with Sir Gustav Nossal, on studies of autoimmune diseases.[ citation needed ]

Russell's postdoctoral training was at the John Curtin School of Medical Research, Canberra, and then she moved to Sydney to take up a postdoctoral position at The Kolling Institute of Medical Research.[ citation needed ]

Russell joined the APCRC – Q in 2009. [5]

Research

Russell's early work in Immunology on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) showed that the immunosuppressive drug, cyclophosphamide, could be successfully used to treat animals with this disease, leading to its use in patients with SLE. Early work WEHI showed that T cells could kill cancer cells. [6] Further studies of autoimmunity were performed by Russell's group at the Kolling Institute specifically SLE. [7] but also some related work in rheumatoid arthritis and in ankylosing spondylitis and its association with HLA-B27. [8] [9]

Russell's focus of the work at the Kolling Institute was on autoimmunity, specifically Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), [10] but also some related work in rheumatoid arthritis and in ankylosing spondylitis and its association with HLAB27. [11] [12]

In 1984, Prof. Russell changed her research focus to cancer and, with Dr. Derek Raghavan, established the Urological Cancer Research Centre at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital/University of Sydney. Prof. Russell then directed the Oncology Research Centre (ORC), Prince of Wales Hospital from 1992 to 2010, as conjoint Professor of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW).

Russell then moved to the Translational Research Institute and the Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre in Queensland in 2012. [13] [14]

Awards

Related Research Articles

Autoimmunity Medical condition

Autoimmunity is the system of immune responses of an organism against its own healthy cells, tissues and other body normal constituents. Any disease resulting from this type of immune response is termed an "autoimmune disease". Prominent examples include celiac disease, post-infectious IBS, diabetes mellitus type 1, Henloch Scholein Pupura (HSP) sarcoidosis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Sjögren syndrome, eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Graves' disease, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, Addison's disease, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis, polymyositis (PM), dermatomyositis (DM) and multiple sclerosis (MS). Autoimmune diseases are very often treated with steroids.

Methotrexate Chemotherapy and immunosuppressant medication

Methotrexate (MTX), formerly known as amethopterin, is a chemotherapy agent and immune-system suppressant. It is used to treat cancer, autoimmune diseases, and ectopic pregnancy and for medical abortions. Types of cancers it is used for include breast cancer, leukemia, lung cancer, lymphoma, gestational trophoblastic disease, and osteosarcoma. Types of autoimmune diseases it is used for include psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and Crohn's disease. It can be given by mouth or by injection.

Ankylosing spondylitis Type of arthritis in which there is long term inflammation of the joints of the spine

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a type of arthritis in which there is a long-term inflammation of the joints of the spine. Typically the joints where the spine joins the pelvis are also affected. Occasionally other joints such as the shoulders or hips are involved. Eye and bowel problems may also occur. Back pain is a characteristic symptom of AS, and it often comes and goes. Stiffness of the affected joints generally worsens over time.

HLA-B27

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) B27 is a class I surface antigen encoded by the B locus in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) on chromosome 6 and presents antigenic peptides to T cells. HLA-B27 is strongly associated with ankylosing spondylitis and other associated inflammatory diseases, such as psoriatic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and reactive arthritis.

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) is one of the institutes and centers that make up the National Institutes of Health, an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Leflunomide

Leflunomide, sold under the brand name Arava among others, is an immunosuppressive disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD), used in active moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. It is a pyrimidine synthesis inhibitor that works by inhibiting dihydroorotate dehydrogenase.

Mixed connective tissue disease commonly abbreviated as MCTD, is an autoimmune disease characterized by the presence of elevated blood levels of a specific autoantibody, now called anti-U1 ribonucleoprotein (RNP) together with a mix of symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), scleroderma, and polymyositis. The idea behind the "mixed" disease is that this specific autoantibody is also present in other autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, polymyositis, scleroderma, etc. MCTD was characterized as an individual disease in 1972 by Sharp et al., and the term was introduced by Leroy in 1980.

Biological response modifiers (BRMs) are substances that modify immune responses. They can be both endogenous and exogenous, and they can either enhance an immune response or suppress it. Some of these substances arouse the body's response to an infection, and others can keep the response from becoming excessive. Thus they serve as immunomodulators in immunotherapy, which can be helpful in treating cancer and in treating autoimmune diseases, such as some kinds of arthritis and dermatitis. Most BRMs are biopharmaceuticals (biologics), including monoclonal antibodies, interleukin 2, interferons, and various types of colony-stimulating factors. "Immunotherapy makes use of BRMs to enhance the activity of the immune system to increase the body's natural defense mechanisms against cancer", whereas BRMs for rheumatoid arthritis aim to reduce inflammation.

Belimumab

Belimumab, sold under the brand name Benlysta, is a human monoclonal antibody that inhibits B-cell activating factor (BAFF), also known as B-lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS). It is approved in the United States, Canada, and the European Union to treat systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

HLA-A24

HLA-A24 (A24) is a human leukocyte antigen serotype within HLA-A serotype group. The serotype is determined by the antibody recognition of α24 subset of HLA-A α-chains. For A24, the alpha, "A", chain are encoded by the HLA-A*24 allele group and the β-chain are encoded by B2M locus. This group currently is dominated by A*2402. A24 and A*24 are almost synonymous in meaning. A24 is a split antigen of the broad antigen HLA-A9 and it is a sister serotype of HLA-A23.

IL17A

Interleukin-17A is a protein that in humans is encoded by the IL17A gene. In rodents, IL-17A used to be referred to as CTLA8, after the similarity with a viral gene.

Lupus erythematosus Human disease

Lupus erythematosus is a collection of autoimmune diseases in which the human immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks healthy tissues. Symptoms of these diseases can affect many different body systems, including joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, heart, and lungs. The most common and most severe form is systemic Lupus erythematosus.

Sir Marc Feldmann,, is an Australian-educated British immunologist. He is a professor at the University of Oxford and a Senior Research Fellow at Somerville College, Oxford.

Michael D. Lockshin is an American professor and medical researcher. He is a researcher of autoimmune diseases, with focus on antiphospholipid syndrome and lupus. He is currently professor of medicine and obstetrics-gynecology at the Weill-Cornell University Medical College in New York City. In addition, he is director of the Barbara Volcker Center for Women and Rheumatic Disease and co-director of the Mary Kirkland Center for Lupus Research, both at the Hospital for Special Surgery

Lupus Human autoimmune disease

Lupus, technically known as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue in many parts of the body. Symptoms vary between people and may be mild to severe. Common symptoms include painful and swollen joints, fever, chest pain, hair loss, mouth ulcers, swollen lymph nodes, feeling tired, and a red rash which is most commonly on the face. Often there are periods of illness, called flares, and periods of remission during which there are few symptoms.

Anti-SSA/Ro autoantibodies

Anti-SSA autoantibodies are a type of anti-nuclear autoantibodies that are associated with many autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), SS/SLE overlap syndrome, subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE), neonatal lupus and primary biliary cirrhosis. They are often present in Sjögren's syndrome (SS). Additionally, Anti-Ro/SSA can be found in other autoimmune diseases such as systemic sclerosis (SSc), polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), and are also associated with heart arrhythmia.

Alan Ebringer B.Sc, MD, FRCP, FRACP, FRCPath is an Australian immunologist, professor at King’s College in the University of London. He is also an Honorary Consultant Rheumatologist in the Middlesex Hospital, now part of the UCH School of Medicine. He is known for his research in the field of autoimmune disease.

Jaccoud arthropathy Medical condition

Jaccoud arthropathy (JA), is a chronic non-erosive reversible joint disorder that may occur after repeated bouts of arthritis. It is caused by inflammation of the joint capsule and subsequent fibrotic retraction, causing ulnar deviation of the fingers, through metacarpophalangeal joint (MCP) subluxation, primarily of the ring and little-finger. Joints in the feet, knees and shoulders may also get affected. It is commonly associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and occurs in roughly 5% of all cases.

Amita Aggarwal is an Indian clinical immunologist, rheumatologist and a Professor and Head at the Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology of the Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow. Known for her studies in autoimmune rheumatic diseases, Aggarwal is a recipient of the Shakuntala Amir Chand Award of the Indian Council of Medical Research and an elected fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India, National Academy of Medical Sciences and the National Academy of Medical Sciences. The Department of Biotechnology of the Government of India awarded her the National Bioscience Award for Career Development, one of the highest Indian science awards, for her contributions to biosciences in 2004.

George C. Tsokos is an American immunologist who is a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and is the Chief at Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Boston, MA

References

  1. ↑ "Pamela Russell". www.qut.edu.au. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  2. ↑ "2003 Australia Day Honours List: AC, AO, AM". www.theage.com.au. 26 January 2003. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  3. ↑ "Pamela Russell". www.tri.edu.au. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  4. 1 2 "Pamela Russell — Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre - Queensland". www.australianprostatecentre.org. Archived from the original on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  5. ↑ "Professor Pamela Russell — Prostate Cancer Collaborative Research Alliance". www.aus-canprostatealliance.org.
  6. ↑ Cameron, Fiona H.; Russell, Pamela J.; Easter, Joan F.; Wakefield, Denis; March, Lyn (1987). "Failure Of klebsiella pneumoniae antibodies to cross‐react with peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with ankylosing spondylitis". Arthritis & Rheumatism. 30 (3): 300–305. doi:10.1002/art.1780300309. PMID   3551965.
  7. ↑ Cameron, F.; Russell, P.; Sullivan, J.; Geczy, A. (1983). "Is a Klebsiella plasmid involved in the aetiology of ankylosing spondylitis in HLA-b27-positive individuals?". Molecular Immunology. 20 (5): 563–566. doi:10.1016/0161-5890(83)90095-0. PMID   6348514.
  8. ↑ "Cell Surface Prostate Cancer Antigen for Diagnosis" . Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  9. ↑ "Minomic secures key patent in the United States and China". 5 September 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  10. ↑ Russell, Pamela J., and Alfred D. Steinberg. "Studies of peritoneal macrophage function in mice with systemic lupus erythematosus: Depressed phagocytosis of opsonized sheep erythrocytes in vitro." Clinical immunology and immunopathology 27, no. 3 (1983): 387-402.
  11. ↑ Cameron, Fiona H., Pamela J. Russell, Joan F. Easter, Denis Wakefield, and Lyn March. "Failure Of klebsiella pneumoniae antibodies to cross‐react with peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with ankylosing spondylitis." Arthritis & Rheumatism 30, no. 3 (1987): 300-305.
  12. ↑ Cameron, Fiona H., Pamela J. Russell, John Sullivan, and Andrew F. Geczy. "Is a Klebsiella plasmid involved in the aetiology of ankylosing spondylitis in HLA-B27-positive individuals?." Molecular Immunology 20, no. 5 (1983): 563-566.
  13. ↑ "Vale Emeritus Professor Pamela Russell AM FAHMS". Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. 10 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  14. 1 2 "Remembering The Late Professor Pamela Russell AM". Funding Cancer Research | Cure Cancer. 2 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  15. ↑ "APCRC - Q Researcher Wins PCFA Award" . Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  16. ↑ "Fellowship of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences October 2015" (PDF). Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  17. ↑ "Pam Russell AM Alumni Excellence Award Health Winner" . Retrieved 12 February 2019.
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