Jana is investigating dendritic cell–fibroblast interactions in the inflammatory response to acute kidney injury
Researcher in
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with renal interstitial cellular infiltrates of which T-cells are an important component. In the mouse unilateral ureteral obstruction model of AKI it was recognised a progressive increase of CD4+ T-helper cells producing high amount of Interleukin-17, known as Th17 cells. Identification and characterization of intra-renal activation factors of pro-inflammatory Th17-cells in the injured kidneys present novel therapeutic targets for modulating the progression of acute renal disease.
2008 - Present: Postdoctoral Researcher NUI Galway - REMEDI Immunology of kidney diseases
2005 - 2007: Researcher in Transplantation Immunology, Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic. Role of macrophages and T cells in experimental models of allo- and xenotransplantation
2002 - 2005: Researcher in Charles University, Faculty of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic. Joint project with Department of Transplantation Immunology
2000 - 2002: Researcher in Institute of Clinical Immunology and Alergology of 1st Medical Faculty of Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. Innovation of methods used for clinical diagnosis
1998 - 2000: Student, Consolidated Tissue Bank of Medical Faculty of P.J. Safarik University, Košice, Slovak Republic. Immunology
Education/Qualifications
2000 - 2007 Ph.D candidate Department of Transplantation Immunology, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Academy of Sciences, Prague , Czech Republic. Immunology
2000 - 2007 Ph.D candidate Department of Transplantation Immunology, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Academy of Sciences, Prague , Czech Republic. Immunology of Transplantation
2010 Roche Awards
2009 World Congress of Nephrology, Milan, Iraly 2009 – Travel grant winner
The role of macrophages and nitric oxide in the effector phase of allotransplantation. Annals of Transplantation 6: 44- 50, 2001.
Nitric oxide as a regulatory and effector molecule in the immune system. Mol. Immunol. 38: 989-995, 2001.
Corneal stromal cells selectively inhibit production of anti-inflammatory cytokines by activated T cells Clin. Exp. Immunol. 136: 200-206, 2004.
The activity of inducible nitric oxide synthase in rejected skin xenografts is selectively inhibited by a factor produced by grafted cells. Xenotransplantation 12: 227-234, 2005.
Corneal rat-to-mouse xenotransplantation and the effects of anti-CD4 or anti-CD8 treatment on cytokine and nitric oxide production. Transplant Int. 18: 854-862, 2005.
Production of nitric oxide during graft rejection is regulated by the Th1/Th2 balance, the arginase activity and L-arginine metabolism. Transplantation 81: 1708-1715, 2006.
Posters:
Effector cells and molecules infiltrating rejected skin graft. 32. Ann. Meeting of the DGfl, Dresden, September 21-25, 2001
Use of synthetic allopeptides and dendritic cells for induction of transplantation tolerance. 15th European Immunology congress, Rhodos June 7-12, 2003
Skin xenografts selectively inhibited nitric oxide production in graft infiltrating macrophages by attenuating the activity of inducible nitric oxide synthase. The XXth International Congress of the Transplantation Society, Vienna, Austria, September 5-10, 2004
The role of T helper 1 (Th1) and Th2 cytokines in corneal graft rejection. Congress of the European Association for Vision and Eye Research, Vilamoura, Portugal, September 24-27, 2004
Production of nitric oxide during the corneal rat-to-mouse xenograft rejection and the effects of anti-CD4 or anti-CD8 treatment. Congress of the European Association for Vision and Eye Research, Vilamoura, Portugal September 24-27, 2004
Arginase activity regulates nitric oxide production in rejected skin xenografts. 8th International Xenotransplantation Congress, Goteborg, Sweden September 10-14, 2005
Local effector mechanisms of corneal xenograft rejection. 8th International Xenotransplantation Congress, Goteborg, Sweden September 10-14, 2005
The depletion of macrophages and/or CD4+ cells prolongs corneal xenograft survival EVER 2005, Vilamoura, Portugal October 5-8, 2005
Arginase activity and L-arginine metabolism in concordant skin graft rejection 16th European Congress of Immunology, Paris, France September 6-9, 2006
Poster: Recruitment of CCR6+ effector-memory Th17 T-cells to the kidney-following acute obstruction, World Congress of Nephrology, Milan, Italy 22th-26th May 2009
Poster:Intra-renal CCR6+/CCR4+ T-helper-17 cells undergo bystander activation during acute urinary abstruction, Irish Society for Immunology Meeting, Dublin, 10th-11th Septmeber 2009
Oral Presentation: Activation and inhibition of intra-renal T-helper-17 cells, The 22nd annual meeting of the European Renal Cell Study Group, Vienna, Austroa 25th-28th March 2010
Poster: Th17 cell activation during ”sterile” inflammation in the kidney: Role of IL-1 produced by intra-renal dendritic cells and Ly6C hi monocytes, Irish Society for Immunology, 25th anniversery meeting, Dublin, 15th October 2010
Oral Presentation: Accumulation and activation of T-helper 17 (Th17) cells in obstructive uropathy, American Society of Nephrology - 43rd Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition in Denver, CO, USA, 18th-21th November 2010
Professional interests: transplantation immunology, immunology of kidney diseases (role of T lymphocytes, macrophages and dentritic cells)
Personal interests: sports (in-line skating, squash, volleyball, hiking, climbing, cycling, fly-fishing,), travelling, literature
