The pathophysiological role of complement regulation in disease

Complement refers to a system of proteins that play an important role in our ability to destroy pathogens such as bacteria. Complement recognises and destroys pathogens using a variety of techniques, and pathogens, in turn, utilise a number of strategies to avoid detection by complement. It is important that complement can distinguish between pathogens and our own tissues. This distinction is mediated by a group of proteins termed complement regulators. We now know that tissue injury in rare and common diseases is influenced by inappropriate complement activation due to defects in complement regulators. Professor Pickering's research unravels the mechanisms through which such tissue damage occurs and currently focuses on how complement can damage the kidney.