Angela Crawley
Adjunct Research Professors
| Degrees: | BSc (McGill), PhD (Guelph) |
| Phone: | 613 737 8673 |
| Email: | acrawley@ohri.ca |
| Office: | The Ottawa Hospital, General Campus, Room C4464 |
| Website: | Browse |
Current Research
Dr. Angela M. Crawley, Ph.D., is a Scientist in the Chronic Disease Program at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI). She is also an Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Ottawa and Adjunct Research Professor in the Dept. of Biology at Carleton University. She is investigating how chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) impairs the immune system in HCV mono- and HIV-HCV co-infection. She has recently identified generalized cytotoxic CD8+ T-cell (CTL) impairment in these infections which seems to be worsened in advanced liver fibrosis. This finding extends beyond the weakened responses of these cells in terms of specificity for HCV. Rather, data suggests a concerning widespread immune dysfunction that may contribute to the clinical outcomes of chronic infection such as progressive liver fibrosis, end-stage liver disease and risk for hepatocellular carcinoma. Ongoing research will define the relationship between liver fibrosis and this immune impairment, determine whether it can be reversed with successful anti-viral therapy and investigate whether this is restricted to hepatic viral infections. These investigations will provide insight on the immune parameters of progressive liver fibrosis and will inform new approaches in the prevention of progressive liver disease and the reversal of immune-mediated liver damage. In addition, findings will provide insight for the design of effective T-cell mediating vaccines (including a vaccine to prevent HCV reinfection in those cured of a chronic infection). Lastly, this research will aid in the identification of factors driving adverse clinical outcomes such as liver cancer.
After her undergraduate and graduate training, Dr. Crawley conducted HIV research while training as a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Jonathan B. Angel’s lab (OHRI), funded in part by an Ontario HIV Treatment Network (OHTN) Fellowship Award. She is the recipient of a CIHR New Investigator Award and an OHTN Junior Investigator Development Award and her research program is supported by independent research grants, including a NSERC Discovery Grant. Dr. Crawley is also an active university professor at all levels.
Selected Publications
Vranjkovic A., Deonarine F., Angel JB., Cooper CL., Crawley AM. Dysfunction of bulk circulating CD8+ T-cells in chronic HCV infection is associated with liver disease severity and is unresolved after HCV cure. Frontiers Immunol., 2019.
Doyle M-A., Mulvihill E., Galanakis C., Crawley AM., Cooper CL. Influence of Ribavirin and the Cirrhotic State on Metabolic Measures in Hepatitis C Direct Acting Antiviral Treatment Recipients. Cells 2019.
Ahmed F., Ibrahim A., Cooper CL., Kumar A., Crawley AM. Macrophage subsets are dysfunctional in chronic HCV infection and contribute to CD8+ T-cell impairment. Cells 2019.
Khan S., Bernier, A., Dapp D., Fortier E., Krajden M., King A., Grebely J., Sagan SM., Cooper CL., Crawley AM. 6th Canadian Symposium on HCV: Delivering a Cure for Hepatitis C Infection: What are the Remaining Gaps? Can. Liver J. 2018, Vol 1(2):94-105.
Khan S., Karges W., Cooper C., Crawley AM. Hepatitis C virus core protein reduces CD8+ T-cell proliferation, perforin production and degranulation but increases STAT5 activation. Immunol. 2018 154(1):156-165.
Steele (Leone) A.K., Carrasco-Medina L., Sodora D.L., Crawley AM. Increase in soluble IL-7 receptor levels in plasma is associated with improved therapeutic outcome to IL-7 therapy in SIV-infected ART-treated Rhesus macaques. PlosOne 2017, 12(12): e0188427.
Corsi DJ., Karges W., Thavorn K., Crawley AM., Cooper CL. Influence of female sex on hepatitis C virus infection progression and treatment outcomes. European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2016 28(4): 405-411.
PUBMED link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Crawley%2C%20Angela[Author]
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