Metadata
Title
Immune tolerance
Category
general
UUID
62d9c2b170574db0b9a35f41c0e15a0f
Source URL
https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/research/immune-tolerance/
Parent URL
https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/
Crawl Time
2026-03-11T05:53:50+00:00
Rendered Raw Markdown
# Immune tolerance

**Source**: https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/research/immune-tolerance/
**Parent**: https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/

[Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation](https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/) / [Research](https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/research/) / Immune tolerance

- [The Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation](https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/)
- [Research](https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/research/)
  - [Barrier immunology](https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/research/barrier-immunology/)
  - [Cancer immunology](https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/research/cancer-immunology/)
  - [Cardiovascular immunology and multi-morbidities](https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/research/cardiovascular-immunology-and-multi-morbidities/)
  - [Cellular immunology](https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/research/cellular-immunology/)
  - [Eco-immunology and context-specific immunology](https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/research/eco-immunology-and-context-specific-immunology/)
  - [Immune tolerance](https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/research/immune-tolerance/)
  - [Immuno-informatics](https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/research/immuno-informatics/)
  - [Immuno-matrix](https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/research/immuno-matrix/)
  - [Life course immunology](https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/research/life-course-immunology/)
  - [Neuro-immunology](https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/research/neuro-immunology/)
  - [Pathogens, parasites and commensals](https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/research/pathogens-parasites-and-commensals/)
  - [COVID-19](https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/research/covid-19/)
- [Study](https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/study/)
- [Partnerships with impact](https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/partnerships-with-impact/)
- [Updates](https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/blog/)
- [About us](https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/about-us/)
  - [People](https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/about-us/people/)
  - [Newsletter](https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/about-us/newsletter/)

# Immune tolerance

Our immune system has the difficult task of defending the body against potential threats while recognising and not attacking host molecules or harmless signals from the environment. In autoimmune diseases, this tightly controlled system breaks down and the immune system targets the body’s own organs and tissues.

In some cases, the body may also inappropriately attack beneficial bacteria or harmless allergens. We aim to understand how the immune system is kept under control to keep a state of tolerance.

Autoimmune and chronic inflammaotry diseases are increasingly common with examples include rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriasis, myositis, systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus and inflammatory bowel disease.

By working closely with basic scientists, immunologists and a variety of clinical disciplines, we aim to increase our understanding of how immune dysregulation causes disease so that scientific discoveries can be translated into the clinic to ultimately improve the management of these conditions.

[Immune tolerance case study](https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/lydia-becker-institute/research/immune-tolerance/immune-tolerance-case-study/)

## People

### Lead

[Dr Matthew Hepworth](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/matthew.hepworth.html)

### Principal investigators

[Professor Anne Barton](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/anne.barton.html)

[Dr Nicholas Barnes](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/nicholas.barnes-2.html)

[Dr Tracy Briggs](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/tracy.briggs.html)

[Professor Ian Bruce](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/ian.bruce.html)

[Professor Silvia Bulfone-Paus](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/silvia.bulfone-paus.html)

[Dr Hector Chinoy](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/hector.chinoy.html)

[Professor Sheena Cruickshank](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/sheena.cruickshank.html)

[Dr Giuseppe D’Agostino](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/giuseppe.dagostino.html)

[Professor Daniel Davis](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/daniel.davis.html)

[Professor Steve Eyre](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/steve.eyre.html)

[Dr James Fildes](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/james.fildes.html)

[Dr Julie Gibbs](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/julie.gibbs.html)

[Dr John Grainger](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/john.grainger-2.html)

[Professor Christopher Griffiths](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/christopher.griffiths.html)

[Professor Ariane Herrick](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/ariane.herrick.html)

[Dr Elise Kleyn](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/researchers/christine-kleyn(4ca9ae3a-f0c3-4fb2-8687-694ffabcc931).html)

[Dr James Lilleker](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/james.lilleker.html)

[Dr Janine Lamb](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/janine.lamb.html)

[Professor Claire Mills](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/clare.mills.html)

[Dr Elizabeth Mann](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/elizabeth.mann.html)

[Mr Paul Martin](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/paul.martin-2.html)

[Dr Madhvi Menon](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/madhvi.menon.html)

[Professor William Newman](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/william.newman.html)

[Dr Kathleen Nolan](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/kathleen.nolan.html)

[Dr Gisela Orozco](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/gisela.orozco.html)

[Prof Ralf Paus](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/ralf.paus.html)

[Dr Juan Quintana](https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/persons/juan-quintana)

[Dr John Reynolds](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/john.reynolds.html)

[Dr Amy Saunders](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/amy.saunders.html)

[Professor Angela Simpson](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/angela.simpson.html)

[Dr Matthew Sinton](https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/persons/matthew-sinton)

[Professor Wendy Thomson](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/wendy.thomson.html)

[Dr Sebastien Viatte](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/sebastien.viatte.html)

[Professor Richard Warren](https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/richard.warren.html)

[Dr Mark Williams](https://www.cruk.manchester.ac.uk/Our-Research/Leukaemia-Immunology-and-Transplantation)

#### Contact Us

[+44 (0)161 306 3771](tel:+441613063771)

#### Find Us

[Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation\](http://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/maps/interactive-map/)[Core Technology Facility \
46 Grafton Street\
M13 9NT](http://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/maps/interactive-map/)

#### Connect With Us