What is Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)? Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis, are life-long, chronic conditions characterised by severe and prolonged inflammation of the gastrointestinal (GI) system. Recent increases in the global prevalence of IBD have placed a significant economic burden on healthcare systems worldwide. Symptoms of IBD include diarrhea, fever,…

Stickycell’s advanced Leukocyte Adhesive Function Assay (LAFA) is a new way to measure inflammation, a primary determinant of autoimmune diseases. Previously we’ve shown how circulating leukocytes in our blood become stickier and cause Multiple Sclerosis (MS) (Sticky Cell Series Article 4). In this article we will show how LAFA is applied in a clinical setting…

In a previous article (Article #5) we introduced StickyCell’s platform technology, Leukocyte Adhesive Function Assay (LAFA). Here we’ll explain how we measure inflammation using LAFA technology. Leukocyte recruitment from the blood to the surrounding tissue, a hallmark of inflammation, requires adhesion of the leukocytes to the blood vessel endothelial cells (Article #2). The stronger the…

Personalised medicine is a model of practicing medicine which involves disease diagnosis and choosing an optimal therapy based on the unique biological and physiological makeup of an individual. In theory, personalised medicine should radically improve the clinical outcome because it is so much more person-focussed. In reality, however, the practice of personalised medicine is currently…

Grant Success! StickyCell joins with Dr Stefan Blum to study treatment effects for Multiple Sclerosis patients. StickyCell, in partnership with Dr Stefan Blum, a leading neurologist at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, is conducting an important study investigating therapy effects in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). A recently awarded project grant from Multiple Sclerosis Research…

In our Sticky Cell series articles, we’ve emphasised the massively important role of white blood cells (leukocytes) in healthy immune system function and also in autoimmune disease conditions. In Article Three we explained how leukocytes can bring on and exacerbate the progression of autoimmune disease. An example of this is in the neurological disease Multiple…

To recap, in our Sticky Cell Series Article #1 we explained how when white blood cells (also called leukocytes) are activated they become sticky; in Article #2 (of the same series) we explained how once activated, sticky cells are enabled to reach afflicted areas in the body through a process called leukocyte recruitment. Cells become…

A big congratulations to A/Prof Tony Kenna and Prof Matt Brown at Queensland University of Technology for their recent success in the latest round of NHMRC project grant funding. A/Prof. Kenna has secured funding for this Grant entitled: Evaluation of a new therapeutic strategy for treatment of systemic sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosus. It aims…

White blood cells (also known as leukocytes) play a very important role in our body’s immunity. The movement of cells to damaged and diseased tissue is called leukocyte ‘recruitment’.  It is a key step in the inflammatory process. In our first article we explained how when white blood cells are alerted or activated they become…

Sticky cells are white blood cells (wbc’s) which become activated and deployed to a part of our body where healing is needed. Wbc’s are activated to respond to invasive agents, harmful stimuli or damaged body tissue. In other words, our inbuilt mode of crisis management is largely run by our white blood cells. They are…