This research area includes both basic and clinical research, including topics such as rheumatology, the structural immunology of innate immune proteins, fish immunology and apoptosis. The main objective of the research at the Staffordshire Rheumatology Centre (SRC) at the Haywood Hospital is to enable a better understanding of disease mechanisms involved in the development and progression of rheumatic diseases, and to identify factors predictive of disease outcome. This includes investigation of comorbid diseases (e.g. cardiovascular disease) and mortality as well as disease specific outcomes. Rheumatology research at the RJAH, Oswestry is focused on the mechanism of leukocyte migration into sites of inflammation. On Keele campus the Structural biology research group is studying the interaction between pathogens such as Haemophilus influenzae and influenza virus and lung surfactant protein D, as well as the structure, function and evolution of the serum pentraxins CRP and SAP. Apoptosis research includes the control of apoptosis (programmed cell death) in human cells, and on the ways in which this programme goes wrong to produce disease.