Overview
Background
Dr Kate Gartlan is an immunologist with considerable expertise in cellular immunology, particularly using in vivo models of inflammation to investigate immune-modulation and T cell polarisation. Dr Gartlan began her research career at WEHI within Professor Ken Shortman’s laboratory developing strong skills in both molecular and cell biology, where she became interested in the early factors that influence adaptive immunity. She completed her PhD in 2009 at the Burnet Institute working with Associate Professor Mark Wright, where she studied functional redundancy between Tetraspanin proteins in the immune system. To advance her understanding of inflammatory mediators and adaptive immune polarisation, she moved to the University of Oxford and took up a postdoctoral position within the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology. Working with Professor Quentin Sattentau, she investigated novel ways to modulate T cell polarisation and influence B cell responses to HIV vaccines.
After returning to Australia, she has worked with Professor Geoff Hill at QIMR Berghofer investigating novel therapies to treat graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in allograft recipients. Dr Gartlan has held active teaching roles within both university and research institute environments, contributing to undergraduate science and medicine programs at both departmental and college levels.
Her main research interests at present surround the role of IL-17 & IL-22 in GVHD, potential therapeutics to modulate T cell polarisation after allogeneic bone marrow/stem cell transplant (BMT/SCT), as well as developing novel inhibitors of graft rejection to improve engraftment after BMT/SCT.
Availability
- Associate Professor Kate Gartlan is:
- Available for supervision
Works
Search Professor Kate Gartlan’s works on UQ eSpace
Featured
2019
Journal Article
Donor T-cell–derived GM-CSF drives alloantigen presentation by dendritic cells in the gastrointestinal tract
Gartlan, Kate H., Koyama, Motoko, Lineburg, Katie E., Chang, Karshing, Ensbey, Kathleen S., Kuns, Rachel D., Henden, Andrea S., Samson, Luke D., Clouston, Andrew D., Lopez, Angel F., MacDonald, Kelli P. A. and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2019). Donor T-cell–derived GM-CSF drives alloantigen presentation by dendritic cells in the gastrointestinal tract. Blood Advances, 3 (19), 2859-2865. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2019000053
Featured
2019
Journal Article
IL-6 dysregulation originates in dendritic cells and initiates graft-versus-host disease via classical signaling
Wilkinson, Andrew N., Chang, Karshing, Kuns, Rachel D., Henden, Andrea S., Minnie, Simone A., Ensbey, Kathleen S., Clouston, Andrew D., Zhang, Ping, Koyama, Motoko, Hidalgo, Juan, Rose-John, Stefan, Varelias, Antiopi, Vuckovic, Slavica, Gartlan, Kate H. and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2019). IL-6 dysregulation originates in dendritic cells and initiates graft-versus-host disease via classical signaling. Blood, 134 (23), 2092-2106. doi: 10.1182/blood.2019000396
Featured
2017
Journal Article
A critical role for donor-derived IL-22 in cutaneous chronic GVHD
Gartlan, Kate H., Bommiasamy, Hemamalini, Paz, Katelyn, Wilkinson, Andrew N., Owen, Mary, Reichenbach, Dawn K., Banovic, Tatjana, Wehner, Kimberly, Buchanan, Faith, Varelias, Antiopi, Kuns, Rachel D., Chang, Karshing, Fedoriw, Yuri, Shea, Thomas, Coghill, James, Zaiken, Michael, Plank, Maximilian W., Foster, Paul S., Clouston, Andrew D., Blazar, Bruce R., Serody, Jonathan S. and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2017). A critical role for donor-derived IL-22 in cutaneous chronic GVHD. American Journal of Transplantation , 18 (4), 810-820. doi: 10.1111/ajt.14513
Featured
2015
Journal Article
Tc17 cells are a proinflammatory, plastic lineage of pathogenic CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells that induce GVHD without antileukemic effects
Gartlan, Kate H., Markey, Kate A., Varelias, Antiopi, Bunting, Mark D., Koyama, Motoko, Kuns, Rachel D., Raffelt, Neil C., Olver, Stuart D., Lineburg, Katie E., Cheong, Melody, Teal, Bianca E., Lor, Mary, Comerford, Iain, Teng, Michele W. L., Smyth, Mark J., McCluskey, James, Rossjohn, Jamie, Stockinger, Brigitta, Boyle, Glen M., Lane, Steven W., Clouston, Andrew D., McColl, Shaun R., MacDonald, Kelli P. A. and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2015). Tc17 cells are a proinflammatory, plastic lineage of pathogenic CD8+ T cells that induce GVHD without antileukemic effects. Blood, 126 (13), 1609-1620. doi: 10.1182/blood-2015-01-622662
2023
Conference Publication
Type-1 regulatory T cells are critical for curative immunotherapy outcomes
Zhang, Ping, Gartlan, Kate H., Minnie, Simone A., Yeh, Albert, Takahashi, Shuichiro, Atilla, Erden, Nemychenkov, Nicole S., Boiko, Julie R., Schmidt, Christine R., Legg, Samuel R.W., Sekiguchi, Tomoko, Ensbey, Kathleen S., Koyama, Motoko, Furlan, Scott N. and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2023). Type-1 regulatory T cells are critical for curative immunotherapy outcomes. Immunology 2023™ Meeting, Washington, DC United States, 11-15 May 2023. Rockville, MD United States: American Association of Immunologists. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.210.supp.173.11
2022
Journal Article
Multiplex microsphere PCR (mmPCR) allows simultaneous gram typing, detection of fungal DNA, and antibiotic resistance genes
Browne, Daniel J., Liang, Fang, Gartlan, Kate H., Harris, Patrick N. A., Hill, Geoffrey R., Corrie, Simon R. and Markey, Kate A. (2022). Multiplex microsphere PCR (mmPCR) allows simultaneous gram typing, detection of fungal DNA, and antibiotic resistance genes. Laboratory Medicine, 53 (5), 459-464. doi: 10.1093/labmed/lmac023
2022
Journal Article
Preclinical activity and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationship for a series of novel benzenesulfonamide perforin inhibitors
Gartlan, Kate H., Jaiswal, Jagdish K., Bull, Matthew R., Akhlaghi, Hedieh, Sutton, Vivien R., Alexander, Kylie A., Chang, Karshing, Hill, Geoffrey R., Miller, Christian K., O'Connor, Patrick D., Jose, Jiney, Trapani, Joseph A., Charman, Susan A., Spicer, Julie A. and Jamieson, Stephen M. F. (2022). Preclinical activity and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationship for a series of novel benzenesulfonamide perforin inhibitors. ACS Pharmacology and Translational Science, 5 (6), 429-439. doi: 10.1021/acsptsci.2c00009
2021
Journal Article
IFN-λ therapy prevents severe gastrointestinal graft-versus-host disease
Henden, Andrea S., Koyama, Motoko, Robb, Renee J., Forero, Adriana, Kuns, Rachel D., Chang, Karshing, Ensbey, Kathleen S., Varelias, Antiopi, Kazakoff, Stephen H., Waddell, Nicole, Clouston, Andrew D., Giri, Rabina, Begun, Jakob, Blazar, Bruce R., Degli-Esposti, Mariapia A., Kotenko, Sergei V., Lane, Steven W., Bowerman, Kate L., Savan, Ram, Hugenholtz, Philip, Gartlan, Kate H. and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2021). IFN-λ therapy prevents severe gastrointestinal graft-versus-host disease. Blood, 138 (8), 722-737. doi: 10.1182/blood.2020006375
2021
Journal Article
Phase II trial of single-agent panobinostat consolidation improves responses after sub-optimal transplant outcomes in multiple myeloma
Mithraprabhu, Sridurga, Kalff, Anna, Gartlan, Kate H., Savvidou, Ioanna, Khong, Tiffany, Ramachandran, Malarmathy, Cooke, Rachel E., Bowen, Kathryn, Hill, Geoffrey R., Reynolds, John and Spencer, Andrew (2021). Phase II trial of single-agent panobinostat consolidation improves responses after sub-optimal transplant outcomes in multiple myeloma. British Journal of Haematology, 193 (1), 160-170. doi: 10.1111/bjh.17080
2021
Journal Article
A phase 3 double-blind study of the addition of tocilizumab versus placebo to cyclosporin/methotrexate GvHD prophylaxis
Kennedy, Glen, Tey, Siok-Keen, Buizen, Luke, Varelias, Antiopi, Gartlan, Kate H., Curley, Cameron, Olver, Stuart, Chang, Karshing, Butler, Jason, Misra, Ashish, Subramoniapillai, Elango, Morton, Anthony, Durrant, Simon, Henden, Andrea S, Moore, John, Ritchie, David S, Gottlieb, David, Cooney, Julian P, Paul, Sanjoy K and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2021). A phase 3 double-blind study of the addition of tocilizumab versus placebo to cyclosporin/methotrexate GvHD prophylaxis. Blood, 137 (14), 1970-1979. doi: 10.1182/blood.2020009050
2020
Journal Article
ASC modulates CTL cytotoxicity and transplant outcome independent of the inflammasome
Cheong, Melody, Gartlan, Kate H., Lee, Jason S., Tey, Siok-Keen, Zhang, Ping, Kuns, Rachel D., Andoniou, Christopher E., Martins, Jose Paulo, Chang, Karshing, Sutton, Vivien R., Kelly, Greg, Varelias, Antiopi, Vuckovic, Slavica, Markey, Kate A., Boyle, Glen M., Smyth, Mark J., Engwerda, Christian R., MacDonald, Kelli P.A., Trapani, Joseph A., Degli-Esposti, Mariapia A., Koyama, Motoko and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2020). ASC modulates CTL cytotoxicity and transplant outcome independent of the inflammasome. Cancer Immunology Research, 8 (8), 1085-1098. doi: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-19-0653
2020
Conference Publication
Diverse IL-6 signalling modalities drive pathogenic T cell differentiation and graft-versus-host-disease after allotransplantation
Gartlan, Kate H., Wilkinson, Andrew, Chang, Karshing, Kuns, Rachel D., Henden, Andrea, Minnie, Simone A., Ensbey, Kathleen S., Clouston, Andrew, Zhang, Ping, Koyama, Motoko, Hidalgo, Juan, Rose-John, Stefan, Varelias, Antiopi, Vuckovic, Slavica and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2020). Diverse IL-6 signalling modalities drive pathogenic T cell differentiation and graft-versus-host-disease after allotransplantation. Immunology 2020™ Meeting, Honolulu, HI United States, 8 - 12 May 2020. Rockville, MD United States: American Association of Immunologists. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.204.supp.87.33
2020
Conference Publication
Posttransplant cyclophosphamide as a platform for immunotherapy after allogeneic stem cell transplantation for multiple myeloma
Minnie, Simone A., Kuns, Rachel D., Ensbey, Kathleen S., Samson, Luke D., Chesi, Marta, Gartlan, Kate H., Smyth, Mark J., Vuckovic, Slavica and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2020). Posttransplant cyclophosphamide as a platform for immunotherapy after allogeneic stem cell transplantation for multiple myeloma. Immunology 2020™ Meeting, Honolulu, HI United States, 8 - 12 May 2020. Rockville, MD United States: American Association of Immunologists. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.204.supp.87.30
2019
Journal Article
Erratum: Myeloma escape after stem cell transplantation is a consequence of T-cell exhaustion and is prevented by TIGIT blockade(Blood (2018) 132:16 (1675-1688) DOI: 10.1182/blood-2018-01-825240)
Minnie, S. A., Kuns, R. D. and Gartlan, K. H. (2019). Erratum: Myeloma escape after stem cell transplantation is a consequence of T-cell exhaustion and is prevented by TIGIT blockade(Blood (2018) 132:16 (1675-1688) DOI: 10.1182/blood-2018-01-825240). Blood, 134 (21), 1878-1878. doi: 10.1182/blood.2019003727
2019
Journal Article
Inhibition of the cytolytic protein perforin prevents rejection of transplanted bone marrow stem cells in vivo
Spicer, Julie A., Miller, Christian K., O'Connor, Patrick D., Jose, Jiney, Giddens, Anna C., Jaiswal, Jagdish K., Jamieson, Stephen M. F., Bull, Matthew R., Denny, William A., Akhlaghi, Hedieh, Trapani, Joseph A., Hill, Geoff R., Chang, Karshing and Gartlan, Kate H. (2019). Inhibition of the cytolytic protein perforin prevents rejection of transplanted bone marrow stem cells in vivo. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 63 (5) acs.jmedchem.9b00881, 2229-2239. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b00881
2019
Journal Article
Imaging flow cytometry to assess antigen-presenting-cell function
Markey, Kate A. and Gartlan, Kate H. (2019). Imaging flow cytometry to assess antigen-presenting-cell function. Current Protocols in Immunology, 125 (1) e72. doi: 10.1002/cpim.72
2019
Journal Article
Expansion of IL-17A-secreting CD8 + mucosa-associated invariant T cells in peripheral blood following stem cell mobilization
Varelias, Antiopi, Gartlan, Kate H., Wilkinson, Andrew N., Olver, Stuart D., Samson, Luke D., Tey, Siok-Keen, MacDonald, Kelli P. A. and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2019). Expansion of IL-17A-secreting CD8 + mucosa-associated invariant T cells in peripheral blood following stem cell mobilization. Blood Advances, 3 (5), 718-723. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2018025601
2019
Journal Article
Phase I trial of inducible caspase 9 T cells in adult stem cell transplant demonstrates massive clonotypic proliferative potential and long-term persistence of transgenic T cells
Zhang, Ping, Raju, Jyothy, Ullah, Md Ashik, Au, Raymond, Varelias, Antiopi, Gartlan, Kate H, Olver, Stuart D., Samson, Luke D., Sturgeon, Elise, Zomerdijk, Nienke, Avery, Judy, Gargett, Tessa, Brown, Michael P., Coin, Lachlan J., Ganesamoorthy, Devika, Hutchins, Cheryl, Pratt, Gary R, Kennedy, Glen A., Morton, A. James, Curley, Cameron I., Hill, Geoffrey R. and Tey, Siok-Keen (2019). Phase I trial of inducible caspase 9 T cells in adult stem cell transplant demonstrates massive clonotypic proliferative potential and long-term persistence of transgenic T cells. Clinical Cancer Research, 25 (6), 1749-1755. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-18-3069
2018
Journal Article
Perforin inhibition protects from lethal endothelial damage during fulminant viral hepatitis
Welz, M., Eickhoff, S., Abdullah, Z., Trebicka, J., Gartlan, K. H., Spicer, J. A., Demetris, A. J., Akhlaghi, H., Anton, M., Manske, K., Zehn, D., Nieswandt, B., Kurts, C., Trapani, J. A., Knolle, P., Wohlleber, D. and Kastenmüller, W. (2018). Perforin inhibition protects from lethal endothelial damage during fulminant viral hepatitis. Nature Communications, 9 (1) 4805, 4805. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-07213-x
2018
Journal Article
Myeloma escape after stem cell transplantation is a consequence of t-cell exhaustion and is prevented by tigit blockade
Minnie, Simone A., Kuns, Rachel D., Gartlan, Kate H., Zhang, Ping, Wilkinson, Andrew N., Samson, Luke, Guillerey, Camille, Engwerda, Christian, MacDonald, Kelli P. A., Smyth, Mark J., Markey, Kate A., Vuckovic, Slavica and Hill, Geoffrey R. (2018). Myeloma escape after stem cell transplantation is a consequence of t-cell exhaustion and is prevented by tigit blockade. Blood, 132 (16), 1675-1688. doi: 10.1182/blood-2018-01-825240
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Kate Gartlan is:
- Available for supervision
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Available projects
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What is the influence of infection driven T cell polarisation on graft-versus-host disease?
Background: Stem cell/bone marrow transplantation (SCT/BMT) is an important curative therapy for haematological malignancies and disorders; however graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and infection are two major complications of this procedure. Whilst it is well established that viral and bacterial infections influence GVHD pathogenesis, the impact of fungal infection after transplant is poorly understood. In non-transplant settings, adaptive immune responses to fungal infections are commonly associated with IL-17 production by T cells that enhance anti-fungal immunity. However our laboratory and others have demonstrated that the IL-17 differentiation pathway is pathogenic in the context of allotransplantation. We are offering a project designed to understand the relationship between fungal infection and GVHD outcomes.
Aims: This project aims to 1) establish an in vivo infection model that can be used in conjunction with bone marrow transplant in pre-clinical experimental systems. 2) Explore the relationship between fungal infection, T cell polarisation and GVHD.
Significance: Once established, this model will be the first of its kind and will be an important tool to examine the influence of infection on inflammatory diseases.
Suitability: This project would suit a PhD student.
Supervisors: Dr Kate Gartlan (Kate.Gartlan@qimrberghofer.edu.au) and Prof Geoff Hill (Geoff.Hill@qimrberghofer.edu.au)
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Modulating donor T cell polarisation after bone marrow transplantation to prevent graft-versus-host disease
Background: Stem cell transplantation (SCT) is an effective cancer treatment, however its application is limited by graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), which has a major impact on patient morbidity and mortality. Unfortunately, GVHD severity and tumour clearance are positively correlated and therefore new therapies designed to reduce GVHD must be targeted, such that anti-tumour immunity is maintained. Donor T cell polarization is a critical factor influencing the severity and tissue distribution of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and the potency of graft-versus-leukaemia (GVL) effects after allo-SCT. We have identified a pathogenic donor T cell differentiation program that exacerbates GVHD without contributing to tumour clearance, which is characterised by a unique transcription factor expression profile.
Aims: This study will 1) examine T cell transcription factor expression after allo-SCT in both murine and clinical samples, and 2) utilise a small molecule inhibitor that modulates transcription factor expression to assess its therapeutic potential in the context of GVHD.
Significance: This therapeutic approach is highly novel and will provide the first essential proof-of-concept data to support small molecule modulation of T cell polarisation as a method for GVHD prevention and treatment.
Suitability: This project would suit either Honours or PhD students.
Supervisors: Dr Kate Gartlan (Kate.Gartlan@qimrberghofer.edu.au) and Prof Geoff Hill (Geoff.Hill@qimrberghofer.edu.au)
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Characterising miRNA expression after bone marrow transplantation to develop novel therapeutics
Background: Micro RNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules (~25 nucleotides) known to play an important role in regulating inflammation. Therefore miRNA may be a novel target to treat inflammatory diseases such as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). GVHD develops in >50% of leukaemia patients that receive a donor stem cell/bone marrow transplant (SCT/BMT). GVHD has a major impact on the mortality and quality-of-life for these cancer survivors, however treatment options are very limited and steroid refractory GVHD patients (~20%) have particularly high mortality rates. Unfortunately, GVHD severity and tumour clearance are positively correlated, which means a balance must be struck between providing anti-tumour immunity and reducing the risks associated with GVHD. Our laboratory is therefore investigating novel therapeutics such as miRNAs to modulate inflammatory responses after BMT/SCT.
Aims: We are currently offering a project designed to 1) characterise miRNA expression profiles in patient serum after BMT/SCT and 2) to evaluate potential inflammatory biomarkers of GVHD.
Significance: New therapies are urgently needed to minimise the effects of GVHD after donor SCT/BMT. This project will use molecular and cell biology techniques and clinical samples to identify potential new targets for GVHD immunotherapy.
Suitability: This project would suit either Honours or PhD students.
Supervisors: Dr Kate Gartlan (Kate.Gartlan@qimrberghofer.edu.au) and Prof Geoff Hill (Geoff.Hill@qimrberghofer.edu.au)
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Modulating Donor T Cell Polarisation After Bone Marrow Transplantation to Prevent Graft-Versus-Host Disease
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Antiopi Varelias
Completed supervision
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the role of IL-6 signalling in Graft-Versus-Host Disease (GVHD)
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Honorary Professor Geoffrey Hill
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Anti-leukaemia effect of Interferons
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Steven Lane, Honorary Professor Geoffrey Hill
Media
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