Group Leader: J Claire Hoving

Claire Hoving


Jennifer Claire Hoving

Phone: +27 21 406 6035

Office: Wernher & Beit Bldg South S1.21

As a new group within the Division of Immunology, this group focuses on fungal infections associated with immune deficiency. Fungal infections are often an overlooked clinical and public health issue. Certain fungal species have immediate devastating effects on health, while other infections are chronic with little or no potential treatment. With the increase of diseases rendering patients immunocompromised such as HIV/AIDS, the incidence of opportunistic fungal infection is synonymously increasing with detrimental effects. One such fungus, Pneumocystis jirovecii causes pneumonia in HIV/AIDS patients leading to mortality unless treated aggressively. Although the use of highly active antiretroviral therapy has decreased the incidence of Pneumocystis Pneumonia the morbidity and mortality remain high. The focus of the research group is to identify innate immune signalling mechanisms in response to Pneumocystis in the immunocompromised host. Furthermore, considering the presence of other pathogens in HIV infected individuals, with particular emphasis on Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and helminths, the group also focuses on identifying an impact of co-infection on the prevalence of Pneumocystis Pneumonia.

 

Projects include:

  • Innate immune signalling mechanisms in Pneumocystis Pneumonia 
  • The role of innate immune receptors in response to clinical isolates of MTB

 

Jennifer Claire Hoving - Google Scholar

 

Recent publications:

  1.   Armstrong-James, Bicanic T, Brown GD, Hoving JC, Meintjes G, Nielsen K, and the Working Group from the EMBO-AIDS Related Mycoses Workshop. AIDS-Related Mycoses: Current progress in the field and future priorities. Trends in Microbiology. 2017. 25(6):428-30.
  2. Hoving JC, Cutler AJ, Leeto M, Horsnell WG, Dewals BG, Nieuwenhuizen NE, Brombacher F. Interleukin-13-mediated colitis in the absence of IL-4Rα signalling. Gut. 2017. Feb 28. PMID: 28246312. DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2016-313208.
  3. Hoving JC, Nieuwenhuizen NE, Schafer G, Katz A, Brombacher F. IL-13 signals independent of IL-4Rα-chain to drive ovalbumin-induced dermatitis. Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 2016. 136(6):1286-90.
  4. Wilson* GJ, Marakalala* MJ, Hoving* JC, van Laarhoven* A, Drummond RA, Kerscher B, Keeton R, van de Vosse E, Ottenhoff TH, Plantinga TS, et al. The C-type lectin receptor CLECSF8/CLEC4D is a key component of anti-mycobacterial immunity. Cell Host and Microbe. 2015. 17:252-259.Wilson GJ, Marakalala MJ, Hoving JC, van Laarhoven A, et al. The C-type lectin receptor CLECSF8/CLEC4D is a key component of anti-mycobacterial immunity. Cell Host Microbe. 2015; 17:252-259. 
  5. Hoving JC, Wilson GJ and Brown GD. Signalling C-type lectin receptors, microbial recognition and immunity. Cell Microbiol. 2014; 16;185-194.
  6. Hurdayal R, Nieuwenhuizen N, Revaz-Breton M, Smith, L Hoving JC  et al. IL-4Rα-responsive dendritic cells prevent visceral dissemination of parasites in Leishmania major-infected BALB/c mice. PLoS Pathogens. 2013. Oct:9(10).