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Immunology News | September 2020 A WORD FROM THE EDITOR 3 ©©Shutterstock/howcolour Welcome to the autumn issue of Immunology This new issue also features an overview of News. Here, we look back at what we’ve been the impact of COVID-19 on gender inequity. doing to continue supporting our members Members from the Australian and New and feeding into public discussion around Zealand Society for Immunology provide COVID-19, including our three webinar a perspective from Societies, EMCRs and series and our new infographics on PCR educators, and how we can plan for the future. and antibody testing for COVID-19. We also Additionally, we hear from Professor John take a look forward at our role in the UK Hammond and other experts about the UK Coronavirus Immunology Consortium, a Immunological Toolbox, a community-driven new and exciting project for the immunology initiative to facilitate veterinary vaccinology community that will provide an overarching and immunology research. On pages 14–15 picture of the immunology of COVID-19. he discusses how it can help you in your In this issue we’re proud to research, and how it will become an essential present Immunotherapy Advances, our resource for researchers, veterinarians and first fully Open Access journal which is now clinicians. open for submissions. Head to pages 16–19 to meet Professor Tim Elliott, the Founding Teresa Prados Editor-in-Chief. [email protected]
The Team Contents Editorial Advisory Board: FEATURES: Edd James (Southampton) 10 Louisa James (London) UK Coronavirus Donald Palmer (London) Immunology Consortium Mihil Patel (Cardiff)
Managing Editor: The UK Teresa Prados 14 Immunological Toolbox Sub Editor: Rebecca Ramsden 4 Society news Design: Qube Design Associates 24 Representing immunology
British Society for Immunology 25 Congratulations 34 Red Lion Square London 26 Future focus WC1R 4SG Tel: +44(0)203 019 5901 29 BSI Regional & Email: [email protected] Affinity Groups www.immunology.org New BSI journal: 30 Journal news Enquiries and correspondence: 16 Immunotherapy Teresa Prados Advances [email protected]
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Immunology News | September 2020 4 SOCIETY NEWS
positive legacy, creating a blueprint that a huge difference in allowing us to engage VIEW FROM … could be exploited for future national with Government at the highest levels THE BSI collaborative efforts within immunology. to ensure that immunology expertise is You can read more details about UK-CIC fed into our country’s response to the PRESIDENT and the BSI’s involvement on pages 10–11. pandemic. With this significant investment from UKRI Here for all our members and NIHR, immunologists can now work together at a national scale to improve our The BSI, of course, is here to support all knowledge of the immunology of COVID-19 our members in all areas of immunology – an aspect that is critical for long-term research, at every career stage and in all control of this pandemic. sectors. The rest of our large portfolio of work to support you and to represent Expert COVID-19 taskforce immunology to the wider world continues Our expert immunology and COVID-19 unabated. This includes our careers taskforce continues to work hard to make work, our various webinar series and our sure immunology is put firmly centre stage engagement work. I also look forward to and appropriately recognised in policy bringing you news shortly of the virtual discussions and public debates around scientific conference we are planning to COVID-19. Our most recent output was a bring our community together later in briefing note for policymakers on ‘Long- the year. Please do also check out and term immunological health consequences support our new open access journal, of COVID-19’, which contained a summary Immunotherapy Advances. We’re very of our knowledge to date and a number proud of this new addition to the BSI of recommendations for future research. family – you can find out more and read an Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, This work has been extremely well- interview with Editor-in-Chief Professor immunologists have been at the forefront received in both policy and patient circles. Tim Elliott on page 16. of research efforts into COVID-19 and, It has had an impact across the political Thank you again to all our members as BSI President, I am very proud of spectrum and has led to us engaging for your ongoing support and, as always, how our community has stepped up to at a high level with the bodies tasked please do not hesitate to get in touch if this challenge. The BSI is there for you with responding to the pandemic, such you have new ideas about how the BSI can every step of the way and, over the last as the Joint Biosecurity Centre. You can support you. Keep up the good work in few months, we’ve been working hard read the full briefing note on our website these difficult times. to support our members and the wider at www.immunology.org/coronavirus/ immunology discipline, and to make sure immunology-and-covid-19. With best wishes that the voice of immunology is prominent I have now handed over the reins of in the public arena. chairing this committee to BSI Trustee, Arne Akbar Professor Deborah Dunn-Walters, who will President UK Coronavirus Immunology take our work in this area forward. I would British Society for Immunology Consortium like to thank all of the taskforce members Email: [email protected] The new UK Coronavirus Immunology for their input to date – it really has made Consortium (UK-CIC) launched at the
end of August. This is an innovative ©NIAID-RML CC BY-2.0 research initiative, funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and supported by the British Society for Immunology. It will bring together 19 UK immunology centres in an unprecedented collaboration to answer key questions around the immune response to COVID-19. It aims to deliver meaningful public health benefit within 12 months to increase our ability to control the COVID-19 pandemic. The BSI exists to promote and support excellence in immunological research and clinical practice. By working with UK- CIC, we aim to support UK immunology as a whole to collaborate at a national level to answer the big outstanding questions around how the immune system interacts with SARS-CoV-2, with a view to improving diagnosis and treatment as well as supporting the quest to find a vaccine. Through supporting this inclusive approach across the whole immunology community, we will aim for a lasting
Immunology News | September 2020 5
VIEW FROM … The BSI has been busy delivering other THE CHIEF exciting initiatives, not least our career development webinars which included a EXECUTIVE brilliant session on equality, diversity and inclusion. In addition, we have a feature Welcome to another issue of Immunology piece on pages 21–23 on the impact of News! These continue to be challenging COVID-19 in gender inequity. This thought- times for us all, and I can’t emphasise provoking article focuses on how to plan for enough that your BSI is here to support the future and what universities, funding you and do everything we can to champion bodies and Societies can do to help. The our members and immunology as a BSI needs to and is committed to doing whole. It’s wonderful to start seeing labs more on equality, diversity and inclusion. and workplaces open up so that many of We are working with our Forum and Board you can start to get your important work of Trustees to develop the action plan and underway again, but we know that many will be letting you all know about what difficulties still remain. Which is why we will more we will be doing in this space. shortly be surveying our membership to And finally, it has been a delight to see be able to get an accurate picture of what our existing journals shine (page 9) and things are like on the ground and what picture of infection and COVID-19 disease in to expand our journal family by launching more the BSI can do to support you all. I order to aid the development of diagnostic our first Open Access – Immunotherapy encourage you all to complete the survey approaches, public health interventions, Advances (page 16). This is our first journal as it will help us to better understand the clinical management, treatment and launch since Neil Armstrong set foot on challenges you face and how our Society vaccines. It is hugely ambitious and the moon, so it’s a big step forward for the can support you over the coming months. will need a full community approach, BSI! These journals are core to the mission Our coronavirus-related work continues something that the BSI will be instrumental of the BSI to promote and disseminate apace with all information on our Connect in helping deliver. Please do see how you high quality immunology research, with on Coronavirus website hub – please do visit can get engaged and support this never- the new journal offering a service to the it to see all of the wonderful resources we before-seen collaborative initiative! exciting and expanding immunotherapy have pulled together as well as recordings In relation to the pandemic you will field. And, as they are also crucial to the of all of our webinars (page 6). Our webinar all know that we have had to regrettably financial future of the BSI, we do ask programme continues with some great postpone BSI Congress 2020 to late 2021. It’s you all to promote the journals and do speakers in the programme so please do the right thing to do, but I for one am gutted consider submitting your papers to them! keep an eye out on our website, emails that we won’t be meeting face to face again I hope you enjoy this issue of Immunology and social media channels. In this issue later this year. Congress 2019 was the best News and I wish you all the best in your we also give our thoughts on how the yet, and we promise that Congress 2021 will endeavours during this challenging pandemic is changing the face of public be even better! In the meantime, we will be time. As always, please do not hesitate engagement (page 24). As shown on page delivering a virtual conference in December to reach out to me or the BSI team if you 10, the BSI is playing a crucial leadership this year which isn’t a replacement for have any questions or suggestions. role in the new exciting UK-Coronavirus Congress but will provide an online forum Immunology Consortium (UK-CIC). This for us all to engage in recent immunology Doug Brown multimillion-pound investment from UKRI research both COVID- and non-COVID- Chief Executive, will enable our community to develop a related. More information will follow soon, British Society for Immunology much-needed detailed immunological and it will be great to ‘see’ you all there! Email: [email protected]
Immunology News | September 2020 6 SOCIETY NEWS
SOCIETY NEWS Connect on Coronavirus
The BSI is keen to continue to support ©NIAID CC BY 2.0 our membership during the coming months. Do visit our Connect on Coronavirus hub on our website (www.immunology.org/coronavirus) to find a range of information and resources to keep you up to date with developments and support you in your work at this time. On these next two pages, we provide you with a brief update on what we’ve been doing over the past couple of months to represent and support our members and to feed into public discussion around COVID-19.
Policy focus The BSI continues to work hard to findings into context is one of our key exploring the potential of cancer-specific T ensure that the views of immunologists roles at the moment. Over the last couple cells and how does immunity at the brain are represented to the highest levels of of months, spokespeople from the BSI border affect brain health and function, Government. Over the past few months, our have been quoted in many national and to name but a few. Check out the events joint taskforce with the Academy of Medical international news stories including BBC section of the BSI website for all upcoming Sciences has been providing information to News, Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, The Sun, webinars and the recordings are also the Government’s Scientific Advisory Group The Guardian and New York Times. available via the members’ section of our for Emergencies (SAGE) on what is and website: https://bit.ly/2WFPBO9. Webinars isn’t known about the immune system and Lay summaries COVID-19 – the documents we provided Our webinar series ‘Connecting on have now all been published on the GOV.UK Coronavirus’, which aims to keep you The BSI believes it’s important that new website. informed with the latest developments research on COVID-19 is accessible to all. Additionally, we have been working hard on the Coronavirus outbreak by sharing As such, we have started a new initiative to link into Parliamentarians directly. Three relevant and timely information from to produce lay summaries on all COVID-19 of our taskforce members, Arne Akbar, expert sources, continues to go from research published in our official journals, Peter Openshaw and Ultan Power, gave strength to strength. With recent talks Immunology and Clinical & Experimental evidence to the House of Lords Science & on COVID-19 topics such as genomics, Immunology. We hope that this will help Technology Select Committee inquiry on animal coronaviruses, and antibodies, it’s a the public to understand the research ‘The science of COVID-19’ on the topic of fantastic resource to allow you to keep up published in each paper and to put it in ‘Immunity and vaccines’ (you can watch the to date with the latest findings. Check the context of the wider field as a whole. The recording at: https://bit.ly/39glB0c). This events section on our website for upcoming lay summaries can be viewed on the BSI followed previous appearances by taskforce sessions. The recordings of all webinars website at: https://bit.ly/2OIKloE. members including Danny Altmann and are available on our website and are free Adrian Hayday. for all to view: https://bit.ly/2BlCsm4. The BSI is working hard to represent and We have also responded to requests Our Careers Development webinar support the immunology community during for input from across the parliamentary series has now come to an end but the this time. We hope that you’ve found our spectrum, including from the recordings of all webinars are available via activities so far useful and we welcome Parliamentary Office of Science and the members’ section of the BSI website. feedback on our activities and any other Technology to ensure scientific accuracy on This series contains a range of highly areas you feel we should focus on. some of their COVID-19-related briefings. informative and thought-provoking webinars We worked with the Nuffield Council on for those who are looking for guidance Jennie Evans Bioethics to provide immunological input to in building their careers now and in the Head of External Affairs, BSI their policy briefing on ‘COVID-19 antibody future, including topics such as wellbeing, Email: [email protected] testing and “immunity certification”’ preparing your paper for peer review, and (https://bit.ly/3hjXSiA). diversity and inclusion. Visit https://bit. The BSI coronavirus initiatives are supported Finally, we have worked hard to make ly/2WUwr7x to watch the recordings. by The Lorna and Yuti Chernajovsky sure that the voice of immunologists Finally, our ongoing Regional and Affinity Biomedical Research Foundation. Our is heard clearly in the media. Ensuring Group webinar series brings together our thanks also go to our following Gold that journalists can speak directly with Group members so that they can share Corporate Members who are supporting our immunologists to put the latest COVID-19 some of the latest findings in their areas of coronavirus work: 10X Genomics, Fluidigm, interest. So far, we’ve had topics including Miltenyi Biotec and NanoString.
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COVID-19 testing explained Testing for COVID-19
One topic high on the media and public agenda in recent months has been What happens when you get infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus? testing for COVID-19. Since the science on this has moved forward extremely fast, tracking down reliable, evidence- based and easy-to-understand information for the public on these tests has been difficult. In particular, there seems to have been a lot of confusion about the different types of The virus enters the body The specialised cells of the After the infection is and infection may result immune system help fight over, protective tests, why they’re being performed and in COVID-19 disease. The infection by producing antibodies can remain in person may or may not antibodies that precisely the body to fight future what the implications and limitations of have symptoms. match the invading viral infections with their results truly are. antigen, which is a unique SARS-CoV-2. feature of the virus.
To assist with public understanding on How does testing work? this, the BSI has produced a series of infographics looking at PCR and antibody PCR testing Antibody testing testing, and a blog to discuss the issue in more detail. The infographics lay out, in The test Swabs from the Blood sample an easy-to-digest format, the key points uses... nose and throat around how each test is administered, what the test can tell us, when it should be used ...to test if there ...in a lab test to are any and how accurate it is. These infographics The identify the antibodies presence of are all free to download from the BSI samples present that SARS-CoV-2 are used... match and bind to website and we encourage you to share genetic material them with your networks to help improve the viral antigen understanding of the different types of COVID-19 test available. The test ...who currently ...who has previously tells us... has an infection had an infection
The test Find out more: ...about someone’s ...whether someone is does NOT immune response necessarily protected tell us... from future infection Download BSI COVID-19 testing infographics: https://bit.ly/32zVT5K When is During an active From a week to several the test infection when the virus months after infection. Read BSI COVID-19 testing blog: used? is in the body even if the person has no https://bit.ly/2E2n0MA symptoms. antibodies ©Shutterstock/Cryptographer Virus presence Virus presence Time Time
How PCR is an established Optimising, evaluating accurate technique providing a very and validating these tests is it? sensitive test with high is important. There are accuracy. False negative two approved lab tests results are possible if the being used in the UK but swab doesn’t pick up neither are 100% accurate. enough virus.
www.immunology.org
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Immunology News | September 2020 SOCIETY NEWS 9
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New Impact Antibodies Factors released Strike Back We are proud to announce the Impact latest impact factors for our official Onslaughts of Salmonella Typhi Factor journals: Clinical & Experimental quietly invade Immunology has achieved an IF Hidden by Vi capsules of 3.532 and Immunology has reached its they masquerade 3.532 highest ever IF of 5.016. Dodging complement attacks We’d like to take this opportunity innate immune cells alike, to celebrate our journals for building the bacterium seeks its goal upon their position as highly respected in the dead of night publications within the field of immunology. We’d like to thank our Flagellum propelling editorial teams, led by Editors-in-Chief towards intestinal dreams Leonie Taams and Simon Milling, cytokines, chemokines for their ongoing commitment to starting to stream the journals, and everyone who has But not before our final defence, contributed to the continued success of leaping from plasma cells our journals, including authors, readers, vaccine antibodies commence! reviewers and editors. In their various forms Impact Profits derived from the sale of the IgG, IgA Factor journals are invested back into the BSI They latch onto the capsule to benefit our members in the form of keeping Typhi away grants, our new webinar series, our 5.016 Regional and Affinity Group activities, our But the bacteria are many popular annual Congress and other key recruitments are needed initiatives. We encourage you to support The Fc region of antibodies the BSI by submitting your work. brings neutrophils nearer Once bound by antibodies neutrophils swell and enlarge, Recent review series from our journals engulfing the bacterium Our official journalImmunology released a halting its charge new review series ‘Barrier Immunity’, edited by James Harker and Laura Pallett. The oxidative burst begins Our barrier organs face the formidable free radicals are released, immunological challenge of defending us damaging Typhi DNA against pathogenic insults and promoting the bacterium’s life is ceased a peaceful co-existence with the local Infection is avoided! microbiota that inhabit them. This collection Our host remains safe showcases novel biological processes Thanks to our Vi-vaccine identified by state-of-the-art technologies, typhoid fever’s at bay highlighting how these change as we age. Our official journal Clinical & Experimental By Mari Johnson Immunology released a new review series DPhil Student at the University of Oxford, ‘Innate Immunity in Systemic Sclerosis’, Oxford Vaccine Group edited by Steven O'Reilly. While the role of the adaptive immune response in systemic sclerosis is already Get creative! well documented, a renaissance in innate immunity research has taken place in recent Have you written, drawn years leading to new understanding of or made something disease processes. These advances, along about immunology? with an increased understanding of the We would love to intricate network of cytokines involved in see your creations! disease pathogenesis, may yield opportunities Let us know by emailing for therapeutic intervention. [email protected] Barrier Immunity: https://bit.ly/3jmOUDc or tagging @britsocimm on Twitter. Innate Immunity in Systemic Sclerosis: https://bit.ly/2CUSzqR
Immunology News | September 2020 10 SOCIETY NEWS
SOCIETY NEWS UK Coronavirus Immunology Consortium (UK-CIC)
August saw the launch of the UK Coronavirus Immunology Consortium (UK-CIC), an exciting and innovative new immunology research initiative on COVID-19. In this article, we provide an introduction to UK-CIC and what it hopes to achieve.
The UK Coronavirus Immunology Consortium (UK-CIC) is a 12-month project funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and supported by the British Society for Immunology. “This devastating pandemic has highlighted to everyone the critical role of the immune system,” says Dr Joanna Jenkinson, Head of Infection & Immunity at the Medical Research Council, UKRI. “All our lives are being impacted by the uncertainties around the nature and duration of immunity to COVID-19, following infection, and how immunology-and-covid-19). This was to conduct larger, more robust studies into effectively the immune system will respond sent to the Government’s Scientific COVID-19, which will enable us to work to the potential vaccines being developed Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) quickly to find out how the immune system by researchers.” for discussion and through this, plus responds to SARS-CoV-2 at a cellular and UK-CIC has been designed to bring discussions on our taskforce and with molecular level, with a view to hastening the UK immunology community together funders, the concept for UK-CIC was born. effective pandemic control.” to respond at scale and at speed to this It will collaborate closely with ISARIC- What is the structure of UK-CIC? crisis. With £6.5 million funding over 12 4C, an internationally leading project months, UK-CIC sees 19 UK centres for UK-CIC is led by Professor Paul Moss already underway. As such, Professor immunology research come together from the University of Birmingham. Peter Openshaw, ISARIC-4C lead and in an unprecedented collaboration to “Immunologists are at the forefront of past President of the BSI, will take answer key questions around the immune efforts to tackle the coronavirus pandemic,” the position of co-chair on UK-CIC. As system’s response to COVID-19. It aims to comments Professor Moss. “It’s an Professor Openshaw explains, “ISARIC-4C, deliver meaningful public health benefit honour to lead this consortium to deliver an established UK-wide project to study within 12 months to increase our ability a coordinated and agile national research hospitalised patients with COVID-19, has to hasten effective COVID-19 pandemic programme to build our knowledge of already collected data from almost 80,000 control, providing vital insights to allow us this disease, which will translate into people and collected multiple clinical to improve patient care and develop better meaningful benefit for patients. By working samples from over 2,400 cases. We can diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines together at a national level, we will be able follow this unique cohort over time and, against SARS-CoV-2. As BSI President, by joining forces with UK-CIC, have a Professor Arne Akbar notes, “With this unique opportunity to analyse the immune significant investment, our scientists can Research institutes profiles of COVID-19 patients. This will help now work together at a national scale to us understand how the immune system improve our knowledge of the immunology involved in UK-CIC protects us from, and reacts to, SARS- of COVID-19 – an aspect that is critical for Bradford Institute for Health Research; CoV-2.” long-term control of this pandemic.” Francis Crick Institute; University of UK-CIC’s research is divided into five key Birmingham; University of Bristol; themes, each of which consists of a question How did UK-CIC come about? University of Cambridge; Cardiff that the consortium aims to answer (see As we have reported previously, throughout University; University College London; box). Each theme will be overseen by a lead the pandemic, the BSI has worked hard to University of Dundee; University of researcher, who will sit on the management make sure the voices of immunologists are Edinburgh; University of Glasgow; committee of UK-CIC. Researchers from heard at the highest levels of Government. Imperial College London; King’s College multiple institutes will come together in an As part of this work, we joined forces London; University of Liverpool; University unparalleled collaboration to contribute to with the Academy of Medical Sciences of Manchester; University of Newcastle; different aspects of each theme. As Theme (AMS) to set up an expert taskforce which University of Oxford; University of 1 lead, Professor Tracy Hussell from the produced a paper highlighting immunology Sheffield; University of York; Wellcome University of Manchester notes, “We will research priorities for COVID-19 (see Sanger Institute work with colleagues around the country www.immunology.org/coronavirus/ to build our understanding of how different
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UK Coronavirus Immunology Consortium (UK-CIC) independent oversight of the consortium, designed to provide a platform to enable UK-CIC research and input to its strategic priorities. further studies of COVID-19 immunology THEME 1 • The BSI will ensure that the views of and infection by all UK immunology and led by Professor Tracy Hussell, patients and the public influence the virology researchers in order to address University of Manchester direction of research through running the key gaps in our understanding of how What role does the immune system play patient public involvement programme for the immune response relates to clinical in determining variation in susceptibility UK-CIC. outcome.” to primary infection and how does • We will be responsible for carrying UK-CIC and its funders are actively open this vary across the life course? out the communications function of to approaches from researchers who feel the consortium. This includes both they can add to the work of the consortium. THEME 2 keeping the immunology community Our aim is for UK-CIC to be an inclusive led by Professor Paul Klenerman, up to date with UK-CIC and how they endeavour for the whole UK immunology Oxford University can get involved, and communicating community. If you have an idea for a How is protective immunity generated, progress of the consortium’s research to research project that could intersect with what are its characteristics and duration, policymakers, the media and the public. UK-CIC’s work, we encourage you to get in and how effectively is protective immunity • BSI will run a virtual conference on touch with Principal Investigator, Paul Moss, boosted upon re-exposure to infection? SARS-CoV-2 immunology for the scientific any of the Theme Leads or with the MRC community in the first half of 2021 – more Programme Managers who are overseeing THEME 3 news on this soon! UK-CIC, Claire De-May (Claire.De-May@ led by Professor Paul Kaye, mrc.ukri.org) and Charly Oakley (Charly. University of York The BSI exists to promote and support [email protected]). Does the host immune response excellence in immunological research and Collaboration is key contribute to pathology and what clinical practice. Immunologists have been is the role of immunomodulatory at the forefront of research efforts into UK-CIC represents a unique and therapies in COVID-19? COVID-19 and we couldn't be prouder of powerful partnership to address the how our community has stepped up to this critical importance of immunity and THEME 4 challenge. By working with UK-CIC, we aim immunopathology following SARS-CoV-2 led by Professor Mala Maini, to support UK immunology as a whole to infection and is one of the final pillars University College London collaborate at a national level to answer required to give the UK a world-leading Is there immunological cross-reactivity the big outstanding questions around how capability within Covid biology. Over the to other coronaviruses and is it the immune system interacts with SARS- next 12 months, both UK-CIC researchers protective or contributes to pathology? CoV-2, with a view to improving diagnosis and the BSI team will expend every effort and treatment as well as supporting the to move forward our knowledge on how the THEME 5 quest to find a vaccine. Through supporting immune system interacts with SARS-CoV-2 led by Professor Paul Lehner, this inclusive approach across the whole infection and COVID-19 disease. University of Cambridge immunology community, we will aim for a As BSI President, Arne Akbar What are the immune evasion lasting positive legacy, creating a blueprint summarises, “The coronavirus pandemic strategies of SARS-CoV-2? that could be exploited for future national has changed all of our lives, but research collaborative efforts within immunology. projects such as the UK-CIC, are a route to better understanding the disease and How you can get involved people react to COVID-19 with the ultimate increasing our ability to improve patient aim of improving patient care at all levels.” As we all know (and the BSI will never tire care and develop more effective diagnostics, of reminding you!), the UK leads the world treatments and vaccines.” BSI involvement for the quality of our immunology research. The BSI is very excited to be supporting this “SARS-CoV-2 has changed the world and Jennie Evans innovative initiative which brings together thrown immunology into the spotlight,” says Head of External Affairs, BSI the UK immunology community in a high- Professor Deborah Dunn-Walters, BSI Email: [email protected] profile and important collaboration. As BSI Trustee and Chair of our Immunology President, Professor Arne Akbar observes, and COVID-19 taskforce. “We all have “Immunology is one of the core strengths of important questions: Can we get immunity UK life sciences research. Created based on to the virus? Why do some people get sick Find out more the report from the AMS and BSI taskforce, more than others? What tips the balance UK-CIC is a much-needed response to the between an effective immune response and about UK-CIC ongoing and dynamic challenges produced one that causes illness? The complexity of by the current pandemic. Adopting a immunology often means that individual www.uk-cic.org national approach is key to the success of research labs study intricate detail on just this project and the BSI will do all we can one aspect of an immune response.” @UKCICstudy to support the immunology community Although UK-CIC is one of the largest ever working at this unprecedented scale.” collaborations between UK immunologists, Sign up to the UK-CIC mailing list. BSI involvement in UK-CIC will take a the ambitions of the project, for UK-CIC, its Email: [email protected] to number of different forms: funders UKRI and NIHR, and for the BSI, do receive regular updates. • Our President, Professor Arne Akbar, will not stop here. As Joanna Jenkinson from chair its Advisory Board, which will deliver the MRC puts it, “This initiative has been
Immunology News | September 2020 12 SOCIETY NEWS
SOCIETY NEWS BSI Forum: here to represent you
The BSI Forum is the place where the voice of our membership is fed into our of June. We also welcome the following activities. Chaired by Ann Ager, the 18 elected members come from all sections new members to Forum: Lauren Campbell of our membership. Their role is to act as our ‘think tank’ on issues relating to (PhD representative), Karim Dib (Northern education and careers, public engagement, policy and public affairs, as well as Ireland representative), Tomaz Garcez communications. (Clinical representative), Donald Palmer (Education & Careers Secretary), Niamh Our recent meeting in June focused on The second topic discussed was diversity Richmond (PhD representative) and Louise two main topics, the first of which was the and inclusion in immunology. This area Topping (Early career representative). Coronavirus pandemic. Discussions were has always been of utmost importance to These excellent new additions to Forum wide-ranging, including on how the BSI can the BSI, but we must make sure that we are all keen to get started representing provide ongoing support to different sections continually learn, educate and showcase different sections of our membership! of our membership during this difficult best practice, to ensure that the BSI – and The BSI Forum and its members are here time. Forum members shared personal and our wider discipline – continues to take for you. If you would like to raise any issues gathered experiences on the difficulties that steps forward. The Forum discussion was for Forum to discuss at an upcoming many immunologists are currently facing, a brainstorming session with many helpful meeting, please contact your relevant and all agreed to assist the Society in our and thoughtful contributions on what Forum member – you can find a list of your ongoing work in this area. Forum also had actions the BSI can take. The staff team representatives on our website at www. an in-depth discussion on how the BSI can are now going to develop an action plan on immunology.org/forum. Alternatively, you contribute to public understanding and the issues and ideas raised on diversity and can email our Head of External Affairs, confidence around the development of a inclusion activities and present this back to Jennie Evans, at [email protected] potential vaccine against COVID-19. Building Forum at our next meeting. who can pass on the message. on the success of our Celebrate Vaccines Finally, we have a change of committee project, Forum discussed particular areas membership. We send our huge thanks to of focus where the BSI is uniquely placed to Helen Collins, Louise Cosby, Fane Mensah, respond, build understanding and answer Rebecca Newman and Antony Psarras, who questions. all finished their terms of office at the end
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Immunology News | September 2020 14 FEATURE ARTICLE The UK Immunological a community-driven initiative to Toolbox: facilitate veterinary vaccinology and immunology research
Using the best animal models to study immune responses can dramatically accelerate the translation of basic to applied immunology. For any model selection we need the right quality and range of species-specific immunological reagents. To help with this, the UK Immunological Toolbox website has been created as a hub for veterinary immunological reagents. In this article, Professor John Hammond and other experts from The Pirbright Institute and the University of Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute, discuss why this initiative was needed, how it can help you in your research, and how it will become an essential resource for researchers, veterinarians and clinicians. A curated online reagent repository The need for a central hub focused towards farmed animal health. One of the challenges with this funding The website collates and hosts high-quality, A ‘One Health’ approach to immunology approach is in collating and sharing all manually curated information on as many research and the capability to make the reagent outputs to avoid duplication, reagents and associated resources as informed decisions on the choice of identify critical gaps and promote access possible, aiming to provide a single access biomedical model for translational that ultimately enables basic and applied point to a large knowledge base. This impact has never been more important. research. A key demand on any central hub includes basic information about antibodies This approach is reliant on a detailed that collates information on reagents, tools and target organisms, displayed alongside understanding of the fundamental and protocols is longer-term sustainability descriptive data, species cross-reactivity, similarities and differences between animal which goes well beyond the scope of references and with supporting images on immune systems for the exploitation (and fixed-term grant-funded projects. functionality. Information about the owner avoidance) of individual models. The ability To this end, the UK Immunological and/or supplier is shown, including current to determine how immune responses Toolbox initiative has been established availability, to simplify reagent accessibility. are initiated and regulated, particularly to provide a central international focus This resource is entirely open access and against pathogens with zoonotic potential, for veterinary immune reagents. Led by currently describes over 1,600 hybridomas has obvious benefits for both animal and two research institutes in the UK – The producing well-characterised Mabs human health that have never been more Pirbright Institute and The Roslin Institute and also polyclonal antibodies directed evident than in the current climate. – a funding model linked to longer-term against immunological targets for cattle, The lack of reagent availability and strategic funding has been applied to chicken, pig, sheep, goat, horse, cat, reliability/reproducibility has at times provide a new level of sustainability. dog and fish molecules, as well as some limited the interest and application of The initiative's dedicated website (www. directed against key animal pathogens. non-rodent model species in immunology immunologicaltoolbox.co.uk) serves as Both the number of reagents and target research. This barrier is diminishing an open access and community-edited species will continue to increase as through decades of significant international central resource of reagents and their information continues to be received efforts by many institutes and individual uses. In addition, other services can be from around the world from a wide laboratories which has resulted in a requested (including the development of range of international collaborators. sizeable veterinary immunological new reagents according to wider research As a community resource, there toolbox. These reagents, predominantly community priorities and recombinant is very active engagement with the monoclonal antibodies (Mabs), have been antibody technologies) that are all aimed research community. Registered largely funded through limited-term at driving the use of non-biomedical model users can easily comment and submit grant-funded opportunities that have been species for immunological research. supporting data, references or any
Immunology News | September 2020 FEATURE ARTICLE 15 other evidence that increases the Recombinant antibody production impact for the wider veterinary immunology understanding and the utility of any creates a range of possible research and vaccinology research community. reagent listed. As such, an application advances, the most immediate being to Consultations on project requests are table is provided for each reagent permanently secure important reagents as offered to discuss the possible cross- which enables researchers to easily genetic information while simultaneously reactivity of available reagents but also to establish reagents’ utility and rate their reducing storage costs by maintaining propose a tailored service for the delivery of application in an independent feedback fewer hybridoma stocks. Knowing the a reagent customised for a specific assay. system overseen by species experts. antibody sequence also mitigates against A major future focus will be to expand cell line drift when growing hybridomas, the veterinary reagent portfolio and Monoclonal antibody and hence ensuring consistent performance make these tools available to the wider novel reagent development over time. Recombinant expression community. Previous workshops have The demand remains for the production systems also allow flexibility in labelling, identified T cell and B cell subset markers of new Mabs and other reagents production and purification methods. This as a clear gap; this has been adapted as as gaps in the current portfolio are can drive down cost at different scales and an early priority. This priority extends to highlighted and potential markers are create very simple mechanisms to share new reagents but also by agreeing with identified using genetic methods. The reagents and ultimately promote research. collaborators to highlight their antibodies UK Immunological Toolbox activities Antibodies are also being engineered on the website and help establish at The Roslin Institute include tailored to improve their versatility and utility. As mechanisms to provide access, either projects for the development of Mabs well as making Fab fragments without through commercial licensing or non- and polyclonal antibodies in rabbits or the Fc component to eliminate cellular commercial distribution. The reagent sheep. Recombinant proteins can be responses, complete antibodies can be owner will get all the benefits arising. produced as immunogens for antibody produced as all the mouse Ig subclasses It is hoped that the current funding production, or for other applications or indeed any other species. Switching host model and continued active engagement including as growth factors or ELISA species can remove or reduce unwanted with the research community will lead to assay reagents. The generation of immune responses, making them ideal increased sharing, minimised duplication fluorescently tagged recombinant in vivo reagents. The UK Immunological and increased awareness of available proteins as ligands for use in determining Toolbox has developed expression systems reagents. Ultimately, it is hoped that this receptor expression can circumvent for mouse, cattle and pig IgG subclasses, will lead to more targeted comparative the requirement for Mab generation. as well as chicken IgY. These systems research projects, which drive our basic The UK Immunological Toolbox supports also allow the direct cloning of antibodies and applied knowledge, to reduce the the development and application of isolated directly from any of these host burden of disease in people and animals. reagents for specific purposes including species. This opens the opportunity flow cytometry, histology, Western blotting for high-affinity pathogen-specific John A Hammond, The Pirbright Institute and ELISA. There is also the capability to antibodies in one species to be used for William Mwangi, Giuseppe Maccari, Elena make or provide tools to validate newly discovery research or immunotherapeutic Lokhman & Sylvia Crossley, developed and existing reagents for treatment purposes in other species. This The Pirbright Institute specificity and species cross-reactivity. is currently a unique service as such Jayne C Hope, Gary Entrican & Anna Raper, systems and reagents are not generally The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh Recombinant antibody technologies available from commercial providers. The emergence of recombinant antibody Engaging and expanding technology has tremendously advanced Find out more the versatility and utility of Mabs in both The UK Immunological Toolbox has basic and applied biomedical research, been driven and shaped by community You can find out more about this initiative underpinning major developments in consultation. Continued engagement in this article published in our official immunotherapy over the past 20 years. and prioritising the needs of as wide a journal Immunology: onlinelibrary.wiley. The UK Immunological Toolbox at research base as possible is essential com/doi/full/10.1111/imm.13227 Pirbright has started a project to sequence to maximise the benefits. Currently, all hybridoma cells producing antibodies for reagent development requests are reviewed Visit the Immunological Toolbox website veterinary research in the UK and from by a steering committee which prioritises to learn more, search for available international collaborators as requested. projects with potential to have the highest reagents and submit new ones: www.immunologicaltoolbox.co.uk. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND GRANTS The UK Immunological Toolbox project at The Pirbright Institute is supported by funding from the the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Core Capability Grants BBS/E/I/00007038 and BBS/E/I/00007039. The Immunological Toolbox project at The Roslin Institute is funded by BBSRC Institute Strategic Program Grant BB/P013740/1. The development of the website was supported by BBSRC through the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) grant BBS/OS/GC/000015. The Immunogenetics group at The Pirbright Institute receives funding from the BBSRC (Institute Strategic Program Grant) BBS/E/I/00007030.
Immunology News | September 2020 16 FEATURE ARTICLE
New BSI journal: Immunotherapy Advances
We’re proud to launch Immunotherapy Advances, the first fully Open Access ‘I am particularly journal of the.British Society for Immunology. Our new official journal is now open for submissions! In this article, you will meet Founding Editor-in-Chief, interested in papers with Professor Tim Elliott, who is supported by an Editorial Board of globally evidence from human renowned experts, and discover the type of papers they’re looking for. cohort studies, which Scope and mission The BSI family of journals might lead to new proof- Immunotherapy Advances will publish Immunotherapy Advances will join our of-concept preclinical scientifically rigorous research relating two established journals, Immunology to manipulations of the immune and Clinical & Experimental Immunology, immunotherapy system for the benefit of human and as part of the BSI family of journals. As studies, and from human animal health in all disease areas. such, we’re proud to offer a 20% discount Immunotherapy Advances covers the on publication fees in Immunotherapy clinical trials.’ translational pipeline for immunotherapy Advances for BSI members. All BSI from discovery research and preclinical members are eligible for a discounted Professor Tao Dong, animal models through to clinical trials. Article Processing Charge (APC) of £1,600. Regional Editor for Asia Experimental medicine and first-in-human The journal is now open for submissions, clinical studies are encouraged and with the first articles published in late negative clinical trials are welcomed where 2020 and the first volume opening from ‘Immunotherapy they contribute to immune-mechanistic January 2021. We’d like to encourage insight. We also recognise the growing BSI members to support your Society’s Advances will provide a importance of interdisciplinary working in first fully Open Access journal and home for your findings this area and encourage studies that submit to Immunotherapy Advances: are at the interface with engineering, https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/ita. on manipulations and mathematics and computer science, We’re delighted to partner with Oxford chemistry and the physical sciences. University Press to deliver this publication. interventions of the Their email alerting service will keep immune system. I’d like Topics of interest to the journal include: you informed when Immunotherapy • Manipulations of the immune system for Advances content publishes, and can to encourage my fellow the benefit of human and animal health be tailored to suit your needs. Keep up members to explore • Immunotherapeutic interventions (such to date by signing up to receive email as small molecules, biotherapeutics alerts when content is published: the scope of the new and therapeutic vaccines) and their https://academic.oup.com/sign-in. mechanism of action in all disease areas journal, and to consider • Understanding of immunological submitting your high- mechanisms • Discovery research through quality work’ to clinical trials • Interdisciplinary research with physical Professor Arne Akbar, sciences, maths and engineering. BSI President
Immunology News | September 2020 FEATURE ARTICLE 17
New BSI journal: Meet the Editor-in-Chief of Immunotherapy Advances: Tim Elliott Immunotherapy Advances We’re pleased to formally introduce the Founding Editor-in-Chief of our official journal Immunotherapy Advances, Professor Tim Elliott. Read the interview below to find out more about his background, what attracted him to the role and his vision for the journal.
Tell us a bit about your academic and What makes Immunotherapy Advances professional background special? I graduated with a degree in Biochemistry First, its scope. We will publish research from the University of Oxford in 1983, which that spans the immunotherapy translational is where I got the bug for research. My pipeline from discovery research and basic grounding during my ‘part 2’ research preclinical animal models through to clinical project with Bob Sim and Rodney Porter trials, for the benefit of human and animal in the MRC Immunochemistry Unit served health in all disease areas. Second, its me well during my PhD at the University of global nature. I have appointed six worldwide Southampton, where I first became exposed regional editors who are not only researchers to translational research. Following a postdoc at the top of their fields but also have at Herman Eisen’s lab at MIT, I came back to extensive regional knowledge and will help the UK to join Alain Townsend’s lab in 1989 to ensure that as we grow, our content draws Why launch Immunotherapy Advances now? and enjoyed a fantastic decade of discovery from a wide and diverse pool of scientists It is now clear that our immune system is for the field of antigen processing and and clinicians. Third, its Open Access involved in pretty much every aspect of our presentation. Moving to Southampton in 2000 platform. I hope this will make it easier to bodily functions and that changes in its as a university professor brought me back bring our global content to a global audience, regulation underpin the initiation, course and to the translational research environment. and not restrict it to a limited number of outcome of non-communicable diseases. My time as Research Dean for the Faculty of subscriber institutions as often happens with As research progresses, an explosion of Medicine exposed me to the best research more traditional journal formats. Last, its potential targets for immunomodulation, and in the university – I became an advocate of interdisciplinarity. Not only will our focus on for passive therapy, in multiple diseases has interdisciplinary research and helped set up immunological mechanism bring together ensued. the Institute for Life Sciences, where I am immunotherapy communities working in Many of these are in cancer, where there proud to be Deputy Director; this provided different clinical disciplines, but I hope it will are over 3,000 ongoing clinical trials for a solid foundation for when I stepped in as also encourage submissions from research about 2,000 new agents. A wealth of new interregnum Pro VC for Research in 2016. groups that are combining biomedicine with information will emerge from these trials Recently, I helped lead a philanthropic and engineering, mathematics and computer over the next few years; Immunotherapy successful fundraising campaign for a new science, chemistry and the physical sciences. Advances will not only be the ideal repository Centre for Cancer Immunology – of which I for these data, but I hope it will also serve am Director. to reinforce the importance of interrogating trials data in search of immunological- How did you first become involved with the mechanistic insight by commissioning BSI? insightful commentary and informative I gave my first talk at a BSI Congress held in reviews from field leaders. Kensington Town Hall while I was still a PhD New information about the mechanisms student. It was electrifying and the feedback of immunotherapy-induced cancer I got from other scientists both encouraged rejection is helping to grow and diversify and helped me formulate a forward-looking immunotherapeutic approaches in other research plan. The experience helped me non-communicable diseases entering clinical build a picture of my wider academic ‘family’ trials – data from which will also find a home and I think I have always seen the BSI as the in Immunotherapy Advances. helpful uncle in that process. I like working Research into vaccines for chronic with the BSI because it continues to focus a viral infections has opened doors to lot of its effort on early career researchers understanding the immune response to and understands what their specific issues cancer and this knowledge is fuelling a are and how to address them. There are a growing number of new therapeutic cancer lot of young faces at BSI Congress every year vaccines – further data that we would like to and I feel reassured that UK immunology has capture in the journal. a sustainable future.
Immunology News | September 2020 18 FEATURE ARTICLE
As the founding Editor-in-Chief of the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health ©CCBYNC - Victor Segura Ibarra and Rita Serda, Ph.D., Farmers Co-operative) says, “we should journal, what are you most excited about? measure what we can, while not kidding I am very excited about launching ourselves that everything that matters is Immunotherapy Advances at a time when included…when measurement becomes the the clinical application of immunological goal, it ceases to be useful”. So yes, we will knowledge is taking off big-time in the be following citations and we are pursuing treatment of diverse illnesses – from cancer ‘listings’, but what I really hope to achieve to migraine. As I’ve mentioned, there is a lot is to establish a dependable source of of preclinical and trials work going on that important and relevant knowledge. will need an outlet and I am keen that the journal helps to bring those data to a wide Why should people submit to the journal? audience in a way that truly advances the We will be fiercely safeguarding the field. high quality of all content, with a team I am particularly excited about working of well-respected Regional Editors and closely with the Regional Editors to establish Editorial Board with expertise spanning the scope of the new journal and to begin all immunological disciplines and disease developing its global personality from the areas: so the top reason to submit to outset as we appoint our Editorial Board. Immunotherapy Advances is that your work will be recognised for its quality and How will Immunotherapy Advances fit will sit alongside other content of equally within the BSI family of journals? high quality. We aim to review manuscripts Immunotherapy Advances is the third official rapidly, and to a high level of competence journal of the British Society for Immunology by relevant experts. To encourage this, we and so has an excellent pedigree and I am design – for example to aid dose selection will publish the names of referees at the working closely with Simon Milling (Editor- and scheduling. Another is the incorporation end of each article. We also strongly support in-Chief of Immunology) and Leonie Taams of point-of-care biomarker analysis into trials post-publication advocacy of papers using (Editor-in-Chief of Clinical & Experimental design. featured articles and social media channels Immunology) to ensure that it complements We will complement research articles with to raise awareness. And of course, this goes its sister journals. We can see how the triad commentary and reviews from experts in the hand-in-hand with the Open Access format of journals will synergise: with Immunology field, making these accessible to all levels of of the journal where none of its content sits showcasing the fundamental aspects of the readership. This way, I hope to bring some of behind a paywall: all of which means that immune system, Clinical & Experimental the best research articles, digestible reviews your research will reach a wide and diverse Immunology focusing on clinical research and insightful commentary to a worldwide audience, and hopefully citations will follow! and human disease and Immunotherapy audience: to researchers of course, but also Advances concentrating on manipulations to doctors, health professionals, patients Is there anything else you would like to say and interventions of the immune system and a growing body of interested public and to your fellow BSI members? for the benefit of human and animal policymakers. One criticism that is often levelled at health. All three journals place high value I am delighted that we will have Open Access journals is that, while their on mechanistic insight and this is where I representatives from industry on our Editorial content is freely accessible to anyone with think we will see greatest added value: for Board as well as clinicians and basic an internet connection, for the researcher example, by working on joint virtual issues scientists who together will help us evaluate they are sometimes (not always) more that provide insight into a therapeutic the reach and significance of everything we costly to publish in than subscription mechanism of action; or a novel immune publish. journals. We recognise this and so we offer pathology. Article Processing Charge (APC) discounts, in What are your plans for the journal and addition to the APC waivers already in place Tell us a bit more about the type of research what are you hoping to achieve in the next for authors in some developing countries. you would hope to see in Immunotherapy few years? It is also worth mentioning that any profits Advances. I hope that Immunotherapy Advances made from APC will be channelled back into We will encourage experimental medicine becomes a globally recognised title that both the journal, to help it grow and serve the and first-in-human clinical studies and serves the immunotherapy community and immunotherapy community even better. I will welcome negative clinical trials where exposes new developments in the field to a hope BSI members will see Immunotherapy they contribute to immune-mechanistic very wide and diverse readership. I’d like to Advances as a great new opportunity to insight. The curious mind can often gain see Immunotherapy Advances become the disseminate their research, and in doing so important mechanistic insight from all go-to journal for immunotherapy because support the Society. points in the pipeline, and can come from of the added value we offer by being a combining disciplines, so studies involving generalist immunotherapy journal rather Interview by Robyn Taylor and Teresa Prados engineering, mathematics and computer than disease-specific. BSI Journals Manager and Marketing science, chemistry and the physical sciences, OK so your follow-up question will be ‘how & Communications Manager are encouraged. One exciting growth area will you know if you are successful?’ and is the application of artificial intelligence this inevitably leads to the usual metrics. As and computational modelling to clinical trial my friend, Guy Watson (of Riverford Organic
Immunology News | September 2020 FEATURE ARTICLE 19
Meet the Regional Editors
AFRICA: EUROPE: SOUTH AMERICA: PROFESSOR STEFAN BARTH ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR MARIANNE BOES PROFESSOR ADRIANA BONOMO University of Cape Town, University Medical Center Utrecht, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Cape Town, South Africa Utrecht, Netherlands Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Find out more To find out more about the Editorial Team, please visit https://academic. oup.com/immunotherapyadv/pages/ Editorial_Board.
To find out more about the Society’s official journals, Immunotherapy Advances, Immunology and Clinical & Experimental Immunology, please visit: www.immunology.org/publications/ journals/.
Thinking about submitting to Immunotherapy Advances? Go to https:// academic.oup.com/immunotherapyadv. Support the BSI, submit your work now!
ASIA: NORTH AMERICA: Follow the journals on social media: PROFESSOR TAO DONG DR STEPHANIE K. DOUGAN University of Oxford and The Chinese Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and @IMTadvances Academy of Medical Sciences – Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA @CEIjournal Oxford Institute, Beijing, China @immjournal AUSTRALASIA: ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR MENNO VAN ZELM Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
Immunology News | September 2020 20 ADVERTISEMENTS ©Shutterstock/pathdoc
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Immunology News | September 2020
1 16.07.2020 07:49:23 FEATURE ARTICLE 21 Applying the gendered lens to a post-COVID academia: an Australian perspective ©Shutterstock/Zoran Zeremski
In this moment, the value of immunology research couldn’t be more visible as our colleagues work tirelessly to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. Nevertheless, the global academic job market is on the verge of collapse due to the pandemic and we risk reversing the significant gains made towards gender equity in the workplace.
From the start of the crisis in March, job losses and recruitment freezes have been announced at universities across the globe. In Australia, the university sector is struggling in the aftermath of the collapse of a National Tertiary Education Union pay cut deal to save up to 12,000 jobs,1 the loss of casual positions, and exclusion of all staff from access to a federal government COVID-19 wage support scheme,2 called Role for universities JobKeeper. Chronically underfunded Medical Table 1. Gendered impact of Research Institutes (MRIs) also failed to COVID-19 in academia Universities not only educate the next qualify for JobKeeper,3 underscoring that generation of STEM researchers but also the Government is not prioritising support Increased carer responsibilities: employ the majority of researchers. The for our industry. The impact of continuing increased hours spent on active impact of COVID-19 has been hardest job losses stemming from this lack of childcare and homeschooling felt in countries where universities rely financial support disproportionately impacts Increased household duties heavily on tuition fees, particularly from those on short-term or part-time contracts, international students, such as Australia Increased job losses: women are teaching staff, early career staff and primary and the UK. In the UK, enrolments are over-represented in less secure caregivers. Women disproportionately fall projected to drop by 16% for domestic casualised and part-time positions into all of these categories. and up to 47%8 for international students. The gender inequity triggered by the current Greater mental load In Australia, modelling predicts that by crisis has to be navigated on top of pre- Early-Mid Career Researcher (EMCR) 2021 there will be a 40% loss in student 4 existing biases and structural inequalities track records and productivity enrolments, equating to a loss of $7.6 5 9 for women and other under-represented disproportionately impacted: closure billion in revenue. This sudden loss of groups, which are inherently embedded of labs, reduced data generation, funding severely undermines the medical in academia and society in general. The grant applications, publications, research and education capacity of these 6 gendered impacts of COVID-19 have been mentoring, supervision countries, to the detriment of scientific identified (Table 1), and will undoubtedly innovation. Currently every $1 invested continue to grow and increase the mental Loss of networking opportunities: in medical research in Australia yields a load on women in academia. conference and meeting attendance, $3.20 return10 and every £1 of public money We must now consider how to dissipate the committee participation, spent in the UK returns 25 pence11 in health impact and plan for the future impacts of networking events gains. Hence, the economic downturn that COVID-197 to preserve the diversity of our the universities and general public face will workforce. This will require coordinated Loss of soft funding creating significant be even more far reaching. efforts across universities, funding bodies job losses: increased competition To counterbalance the loss of soft and professional societies. for limited jobs and funding money support to researchers and the
Immunology News | September 2020 22 FEATURE ARTICLE
Ideas 100 Applicants: 16 Grant Scheme: A. B. Female C. Investigator 80 Male 14 Ideas 4.7% 60 lower % of 12 applicants 40 10 20 2%
of applications of % lower
0 Funding success rate 8 EL1 EL2 L1 L2 L3 +SP -SP Investigator More senior Male Female
Figure 1. Gendered trends in application and funding rates for two major Australian NHMRC schemes, Ideas and Investigator grants, for 2020. A) The number of applications from females is consistently lower for both schemes; B) the proportion of applications from females at each stage for the Investigator grants drops substantially from mid-career onwards; and C) the proportion of applications deemed fundable after removal of the structural priority (SP) scheme is markedly lower for female as compared with male applicants in both schemes. (See 'Outcomes of funding rounds' at https://bit.ly/3kzxvH8) immense overload placed on educators Role for funding bodies to move online, universities and medical Prior to the COVID crisis, the annual ‘We must now research institutes (MRIs) must look for gross domestic product for R&D in innovative and compassionate solutions to both Australia and the UK was already consider how place staff first. As an example, Newcastle well below the 2.36% average across University introduced a four-day week advanced economies at 1.81%13 and 1.7%14 to dissipate the without lowering salary12 to ease pressure respectively. Consequently, academia not on staff, particularly those caring for only faces a devastating loss from tuition impact and plan for children. Support for remote working, funding streams drying up, but also from a due to social distancing measures, also decline in R&D funding, with an estimated removes pressure on staff and has had the loss of $3.5 billion from this sector in the future impacts unexpected benefit of reducing lost time Australia this year. Researchers have also in commuting and reducing infrastructure experienced a range of career disruptions of COVID-19 to costs. These benefits long-term will enable from limited or no access to laboratories, researchers to maintain a work/life balance delayed laboratory consumable preserve the conducive to care giving, with professional deliveries and increased prices, to loss of benefits including remote access to international postgraduate students. diversity of our international conferences. In an effort that should be applauded, Now is the time to welcome change and UK Research and Innovation announced workforce.’ even out the gendered playing field. It is the COVID-19 grant extension allocation;15 also a chance for academia to move to a £180 million that will be provided as part more modern workforce model that values of a wider package to retain the UK’s those for men. Regardless of funding rates, domestic students and embraces remote research talent via salary and facility cost the number of grant applications from working and online education, conferences support. In Australia, the National Health women at mid-career levels onwards is still and meetings (Table 2). and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) dwarfed by their male colleagues, despite has acknowledged the impact of COVID-19 equity initiatives being adopted by the Table 2. University landscape disruptions on particular groups16 and is research sector (Figure 1). post-COVID-19 investigating potential initiatives, including Together, this drives a continued loss of similar grant extensions. However, as any female leaders17 starting at the grassroots Increased domestic student potential re-allocation of money would level with EMCRs struggling to establish access to affordable education disadvantage researchers with no current independent research programmes while Increased enrolment and funding, including disproportionately juggling young families and carer duties. training of Government-funded EMCRs and women (Figure 1), in a system In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic domestic PhDs students where grant scheme success rates are these statistics will only worsen for women, Increased availability and access to a dismal 11–13%, this idea may not be as well as for struggling EMCRs, without higher education via online education supported. an injection of funds and restructuring Central to the NHMRC’s current of the grant system. To address this, the Reduced on-campus costs due to online efforts to support women, has been the Association of Australian Medical Research teaching and redirection of savings to introduction of structural priority funding Institutes (AARMI) recently called for 300 support research staff and facilities that utilises residual allocated money new Government-funded fellowships each Uneconomic university/ to fund competitive female-led grants. year for the next three years, equating to a group/facility mergers Superficially, this initiative appears to be $543 million investment.18 This is laudable working based on recent outcomes; with but it is unclear how this would address the Remote working: increasing ability to almost equivalent funding rates for both amplified impact of COVID-19 on specific attend meetings and global conferences, major NHMRC funding schemes (Figure 1). demographics without applying a gendered reduced time lost due to work commute However, women still receive only ~40% of lens. the total budget and removing structural Governments and funding bodies need priority data reveals that actual funding to act now to mitigate the potential brain rates for women were ~2–4% lower than drain from this vital sector both during and
Immunology News | September 2020 FEATURE ARTICLE 23 post COVID-19. A number of strategies (see career progression and mental health. Societies can’t help everyone but Table 3), including the logical approach Support for members could include: supporting individuals could make all the of Government block-funding, could • dyad mentoring to generate connections difference. circumvent the predicted loss of 21,000 and foster career progression Finally, to ensure that helpful academic and 7,000 research jobs that will • peer mentoring through small virtual interventions are identified by societies, we undoubtedly include an over-representation coffee catch-ups to share experiences must ensure equal representation of men of EMCRs and women. • virtual conferences or seminar series and women at all career and family stages, to share work, populate CVs with and inclusion of under-represented groups Table 3. Funding strategies to speaker/chairing positions, and maintain on committees. We are beginning to see mitigate the Australian brain drain academic and social dialogue a shift in attitudes with all-male expert Short-term strategies • virtual workshops to discuss career panels, colloquially referred to as manels, development or techniques for supporting being viewed as unacceptable. We need Additional Government financial support mental health to see similar attitudes to all committees to key funding bodies and universities • jobs boards to increase awareness of and decision-making groups. Ultimately, Universities/MRIs provide COVID-19 employment opportunities to be aware and respond to what people bridging funding to support • listings of upcoming grant/philanthropic/ urgently need during a pandemic; those researchers until outcomes announced commercial opportunities. people need to be part of the conversation for the current grant rounds to communicate their needs. Extensions for fellowships and Societies can be a platform to make grants by funding bodies dipping into our work visible to the Government and Dr Jessica Borger, future funding rounds or divert funds to the public. Research societies and our Lecturer and Graduate Course Coordinator, from the long-term MRFF body members have engaged with governments Central Clinical School, Monash University around the world to develop evidence- Block-funding awarded to universities based COVID-19 policies. Research Dr Kate Lawlor, and MRIs in future rounds societies in Australia, such as the Lab Head of the Cell Death and Introduce a cap on funding Australian Society for Medical Research Inflammatory Signalling Group, Centre for dollars to increase the number (ASMR) and AARMI, have been advocating Innate Immunity and Infectious Diseases, of grants in the system for changes to Government funding to Hudson Institute of Medical Research, ensure the recovery of the sector and Monash University Structural priority funding for male preserve opportunities for EMCRs and and female EMCRs, as well as women. However, Government appetite to Dr Kylie Quinn, senior-level female scientists to fund our work is tied to public perceptions Lab Head of the Ageing and Immunotherapies maintain a generation of mentors and appreciation for the value of our work. Group in the School of Health and for up-and-coming leaders To gain and maintain public appreciation, Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University Long-term strategies we have to continually communicate Increase the GDP expenditure on our work in a manner that is accessible, education and academic research authentic and accurate. This is why LINKS outreach initiatives like the International 1. https://bit.ly/3227NDB Quotas for career stage to ensure Day of Immunology,19 Australia and 2. https://bit.ly/2Y8lNdO EMCRs have access to funding New Zealand Society for Immunology’s 3. https://bit.ly/3kQf55S Equal quotas and funding amounts ‘Fireside chats’20 and BSI’s ‘Celebrate 4. https://bit.ly/2E6kmpc for female- and male-led grants Vaccines’21 campaign are absolutely 5. https://bit.ly/3g2UuaQ essential. However, to increase public 6. https://bit.ly/348wbGm Incorporate EMCR and female trust in our sector, we must ensure that 7. Majowicz 2020 Epidemiol Infect 148 e92 career development scores to mark the voices amplified are diverse and truly https://bit.ly/2Y9b4jh leadership performance in grants representative of our community. 8. Woolston 2020 Nature 582 449–450 Clearer guidelines to document and One of the most impactful interventions https://go.nature.com/3iNYttQ evaluate career disruptions and that financially resilient societies could 9. https://bit.ly/31YCObl relative to opportunity in grants consider is to provide financial support. 10. https://bit.ly/3kQcgBV Many of the usual high-cost activities that 11. https://bit.ly/2Yp5rxJ Routine unconscious bias training a society might engage in are not viable 12. https://bit.ly/3auzFnH to implement fairer grant reviews during the pandemic; funding annual 13. https://bit.ly/2DYE7za meetings, seminars and in-person events, 14. https://bit.ly/348Hezo Role for societies supporting conference attendees via 15. https://bit.ly/31XyBVA Given the disruption to many institutions, travel awards and childcare. Societies 16. https://bit.ly/3g8hQf7 professional societies must take a leading could redistribute this funding to carers 17. https://bit.ly/2FxbGc4 role in cushioning the impact of the that have been inundated with additional 18. https://bit.ly/3iKCFPC pandemic, especially on women and under- care and home-schooling as well as their 19. https://bit.ly/2FxcayU represented groups. full-time jobs, casualised educators that 20. https://bit.ly/312B29V Professional societies provide a sense are in precarious work, and disadvantaged 21. https://bit.ly/3fYi4Wg of community for researchers that can EMCRs. Funding could support: transcend institutions, career stages • childcare to allow carers to maintain and geographical distances. This sense workloads or purchase additional leave of community takes on enhanced value • EMCRs by covering costs previously during a pandemic, when we are socially covered by discretionary funding distancing and travel is limited. We can use (registration for virtual meetings, these societies to bolster job satisfaction, computers, preliminary datasets).
Immunology News | September 2020 24 REPRESENTING IMMUNOLOGY The jump to virtual public engagement ©Shutterstock/karnoff
From strict lockdown restrictions The Francis Crick Institute has made their to social distancing measures that ‘Meet a Scientist’ events virtual (https://bit. help us return to a ‘new normal’, ly/30wqkHg), running the Q&A on Instagram reaching a younger audience. The Lambeth public engagement as we know it has Country Show (https://bit.ly/2OJ6Vh0) had to pivot rapidly into the virtual has moved to a virtual event across their world. We must look for alternatives website and social media channels, allowing to maintain inspiring and vital families flexibility to get involved as and interactions with the public about when suits them. immunology while keeping everyone How can you adapt? safe. With science – and especially There are many resources available to immunology – prominently in the start you thinking about how to engage public eye, there’s a captive audience online. As a starting point, BSI members for your public engagement. Now can watch our career development webinar is the time to embrace technology ‘An introduction to public engagement in the time of COVID-19’ (https://bit. from spreading. Additionally, the NCCPE and extend our online reach. Here, ly/2ODXxex) for free. The webinar discusses has a useful guide (https://bit.ly/2ZLU17W) our Public Engagement Manager, developing public engagement activities, for using social media with research Erika Aquino, tells us about how the and techniques for effective and productive engagement. public engagement landscape has online interactions. The National Co- Virtual public engagement is a transformed, ways for you to continue ordinating Centre for Public Engagement chance to build new relationships with engaging with the public online, and (NCCPE) has put together a guide for different audiences and reach out to new running online meaningful engagement communities, or even transform how you how we’re supporting our members. events (https://bit.ly/2Co9RNw), which involve existing groups. focuses on practical tips for design and A shift to online engagement The BSI continues to delivery. Organisations and events, such as science As with all public engagement, planning support our members festivals, are adjusting to new ways of and organising your virtual event is key to The BSI is here to support our members. delivering science to the public through success. Understanding your audience’s Our Communicating Immunology grant digital platforms. It’s now time to reimagine needs, the purpose of the activity and what scheme – of up to £1,000 – is still open for public engagement and find a sustainable you’re trying to achieve will help inform applications. Now, more than ever, we’re way to interact with the public in this new which platform to use. There are many here to help you to develop and deliver in a environment of restricted face to face different digital platforms with extensive digital world. If you have an existing project interactions. pros and cons, for example Zoom and that can move online, we’d love to hear Moving engagement online presents Google Hangouts. Make sure you explore about it and work with you to modify it. If you both advantages and challenges, as with options and test the platforms to ensure have an idea but you’re unsure how it will any form of engagement. Engaging the they work for your audience. It’s also work virtually, we can help develop it into public online is cheaper and quicker than important to adjust rather than just transfer a feasible project. Don’t hesitate to contact bringing people face-to-face, can be more an activity to online, which means it’s your me for guidance and advice. inclusive, and can reach a wider audience chance to get creative! Many platforms The immunology community is over a larger geographical area. For people have innovative and different tools for greatly needed at the forefront of public who can’t travel, online involvement may interacting and engaging, for example discussions. With COVID-19, we’re be a preferred option. However, for some chats, breakout rooms, polls, quizzes and presented with a unique opportunity to groups, digital engagement is extremely online whiteboards. An article by Sessionlab capture public curiosity in immunology and hard, for example, due to limited access (https://bit.ly/2ODOAli) has a great list of represent the voice of immunologists. It’s to connected devices or lack of skills and 25 free online tools to discover. If you want vital to strengthen public understanding of confidence online. With some creativity and to take your engagement to social media, all aspects of immunology to help society versatility, some organisations have done think about the format of the content make informed decisions about their health. this successfully. you’re sharing and consider making it fun, Crucially, it’s now a time to build public trust The Australian and New Zealand Society accessible and creative. A great example and confidence in science. for Immunology has developed ‘Fireside comes from BSI Trustee, Matthias Eberl Chats’ (https://bit.ly/2OTXg7r) a regular from Cardiff University, who created Erika Aquino free live Q&A session for the public to get videos for TikTok (https://bit.ly/3jkzShb) Public Engagement Manager, BSI their questions answered by immunologists. explaining how vaccines prevent diseases Email: [email protected]
Immunology News | September 2020 MEMBERS’ ACHIEVEMENTS 25
2020 Tang Prize in Congratulations Biopharmaceutical This is the section of the magazine where we celebrate the Science achievements of our members. Our congratulations to all who BSI member Sir Marc Feldmann, are mentioned here. Emeritus Professor at the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford has been awarded the 2020 Tang Best Immunology Undergraduate Prize in Biopharmaceutical Science. He was announced as joint winner Student Award alongside Charles Dinarello (US) and Tadamitsu Kishimoto (Japan) for the development of cytokine-targeting biological therapies for treatment of inflammatory diseases. Recognised for the part he played in the discovery of anti-TNF therapy, Professor Feldmann is now exploring whether the antibody can be effective for COVID-19. Established by Taiwanese entrepreneur Dr Samuel Yin, the biannual Tang Prize awards up to three recipients in each of four categories. It aims to promote the interaction and cooperation between culture and technology so as to find a 21st century path to the sustainable development of the world.
The BSI Ulster Immunology Group award The Group aims to provide a forum for for the best two undergraduate students scientists in Northern Ireland to foster in immunology in Northern Ireland has common interests in the broad area of been awarded to Emma McKay (Queen’s immunology. You can find out more about University Belfast) and Antonio Singco, Jr their monthly seminar series and other (Ulster University). The virtual ceremony took activities at www.immunology.org/ulster- place on 9 July 2020. immunology-group.
Communicating Immunology Grants
The BSI is delighted to fund the ©Shutterstock/iQoncept following project. Lucia Martin-Gutierrez and colleagues from University College London have been awarded funding to develop their ‘Raising awareness of immunological and inflammatory condition through public engagement’ online project. They will host six virtual events over the next year for patients and public affected by autoimmune diseases to remain engaged with immunology research. They will be We would love to hear from exploring online Zoom and sli.do platforms you about your achievements. to interact with participants. Have you or a colleague recently The next application deadline for this received grant funding, passed grant scheme is 1 October 2020 and we touch with Erika Aquino at e.aquino@ your PhD viva or accepted a new welcome virtual project ideas. We're immunology.org for guidance or with any appointment? If so, let us know by particularly keen to hear of projects for questions. For more details, visit www. emailing [email protected]. engaging the public about COVID-19 in immunology.org/grants-and-prizes/ digital or online formats. Please get in communicating-immunology.
Immunology News | September 2020 26 EDUCATION & CAREERS FUTURE FOCUS BSI Undergraduate Prize 2020 Each year, the BSI’s Immunology BEN GEORGE GRACE ERSKINE Undergraduate Prize scheme aims to University of Oxford Newcastle University promote excellence in the study of immunology at undergraduate level, My interest in immunology began I have just graduated from and encourage gifted students to during the second year at Oxford and Newcastle University after studying pursue further postgraduate study, is owed in part, to the tutorship and Biomedical Science. My dissertation encouragement of the fellows at Corpus title was ‘Immune reconstitution or a career in the discipline. Here’s a Christi College. When the time came to following haematopoietic stem cell selection of the 2020 winners. seek out a research project topic, it was transplantation’. My favourite modules the ground-breaking work of Professor at university were immunology of You can find out more about the Rowland-Jones and the members of health and disease, cancer biology and BSI Immunology Undergraduate her group that piqued my interest. therapy, and business enterprise for Prize scheme and how your The project offered the prospect of the bioscientist. I have just started a department can apply for funding integrating work in immunology, job working for Illumina as a Business at www.immunology.org/ virology and epidemiology and, as an Development Analyst. grants-and-prizes/immunology- undergraduate, to get involved in a undergraduate-prizes. dynamic area of research.
ANTONN CHEESEMAN GEORGE BIBBY HANNAH DAWE University of Bristol Liverpool John Moores University King’s College London
When I started my degree at the Throughout my Biomedical Science I studied BSc Biomedical Science at University of Bristol in Cancer Biology course, I gained a deep insight King’s College London. During my and Immunology, I had no defined plan into various areas of immunology, final year, I completed a research for post-graduation. By the end of my developing a keen interest in project in infection and immunity, first year, my lecture units in infection, immunotherapy and immunological entitled ‘Transcriptional regulation of immunity and oncology had convinced research techniques. In my dissertation, AhR in HaCaT keratinocytes’ with a me of the centrality of the immune I researched the effects of microRNA on focus on its benefit or complications system in health and disease, as well keratinocyte migration, which is vital for in inflammatory skin diseases such as as the vast scope for further discovery. wound repair and infection prevention. psoriasis. I was given a mark of 93% After graduation, I have secured PhD I’m excited to expand my immunological for this project for which this prize is study at The University of Manchester knowledge in the medical field and awarded. I am planning to continue investigating CD4+ T-cell responses to experience the diagnostics and these research activities with my project malaria, supervised by Dr Kevin Couper treatments. supervisor, Dr Paola Dimeglio, in the and Professor Andrew MacDonald. forthcoming year before applying to medical school the following year.
Immunology News | September 2020 EDUCATION & CAREERS 27
LEILA MOTEDAYEN-AVAL IONA ALLAN RACHEL BUTLER Imperial College London University of Edinburgh Aston University
I am a fifth-year medical student at I am a fourth year veterinary student at I have recently graduated from Aston Imperial College London. I have recently the University of Edinburgh. I recently University with a First-class (Hons) completed my BSc in Immunity and completed an intercalated year studying Biological Sciences with Placement Year Infection which was undoubtedly one of Immunology and I am extremely happy BSc. Throughout my degree, I’ve become my favourite years at medical school so to have received the BSI Undergraduate deeply interested in immunology; far. In particular, my research interests Prize for my dissertation project in particular, the coordination and lie in the development of novel anti- investigating the effects of mating resolution of inflammation. Having cancer therapeutics to broaden the on immunity in female Drosophila recently accepted a PhD position in reach of cancer immunotherapy. I am melanogaster. Next year I will return to Professor Andrew Devitt’s lab, I will eager to graduate and continue to grow studying veterinary medicine but I would spend the next four years researching my interests within the immunology like to do some more research after the role of extracellular vesicles in field in order to integrate this within my graduation. apoptotic cell clearance. I’m very excited clinical practice and ultimately pursue to start this next chapter of my life as a my aspiration of becoming a clinician. doctoral researcher.
BETHAN WILLIAMS JAKE ROULSTONE SOPHIA IJAZ Durham University University of Aberdeen Aston University
I’m a Biological Sciences undergraduate I’m currently entering my fourth year Graduating from Aston University with at Durham University. During my time of a medical degree at the University a First-class (Hons) in Biomedical at Durham I have thoroughly enjoyed of Aberdeen, and last year I had the Science, and being selected for this studying immunology, including opportunity to intercalate in a range award is such an honour. I come from exploring the role of interferon- of degrees. I chose immunology as a background where neither of my producing cells in presenting antigens I’ve always been interested in it and I parents attended university, but I did in the immune response, and believe it is one of the most exciting not let this hold me back. My academic undertaking techniques such as ELISA specialties to be a part of. My goal is to achievements are due to their constant and antibody analysis. I plan to use my become a haematologist following my love and support. Upon completing my immunological knowledge during the foundation years, where I’m sure my degree, I have developed a deep interest final year of my degree, and thereafter immunological background will benefit in the medical diagnostic field and in either further academic study or me hugely. I’d love to stay involved in understanding how the immune system wider career options. this field as the breakthroughs always functions. I look forward to pursuing excite me and I’d love to one day be a a career involving immunodiagnostics part of this. where I hope to help other individuals.
Immunology News | September 2020 28 ADVERTISEMENTS
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Immunology News | September 2020 BSI REGIONAL AND AFFINITY GROUPS 29 BSI South Wales Immunology Group
The South Wales Immunology Group is a Regional Group of the British Society 100 over the three days. During intermissions for Immunology. It was established in 1997 to provide a forum for scientists between talks, our regional group provides to promote active discussions, enhance collaborations and foster common information on the importance of herd immunological interests in the south of Wales and further afield. Here, members of immunity through vaccination, childhood vaccination and the principles of immunology. the group tell us more about their activities, including public engagement events, We have taken this information to multiple and how they have adapted to a new virtual reality of scientific gatherings. events aimed at different audiences, such as ‘Techniquest: After Hours’, an event centred Successful online seminars around providing science education to adults The BSI’s South Wales Group connects through fun activities. Superbugs, organised postgraduate students, postdoctoral by Matthias Eberl and Jonathan Tyrell, also researchers, academic staff and clinicians became a two-week pop-up science event in from different institutes in the region. As the heart of Wales’ busiest shopping centre, one of the most vibrant research networks hosting 6,566 visitors (https://bit.ly/2CPdAU0). in Wales, we invite eminent local, national Schools outreach and international scientists to give inspiring seminars to our researchers and students, Members of the Group are also involved in which promote discussions and have led to engagement activities with schools. These novel ideas and collaborations. range from visits to schools in Cardiff and As the COVID-19 pandemic expanded Prof Gwendalyn J Randolph (left) receiving the J. Boulter me- the Vale of Glamorgan area to talk about morial plaque from her host Prof Ann Ager (right) in 2019. globally, we transformed our face-to-face the immune response to infections to the seminars into an online seminar series. We receptor function; and Gwendalyn J Randolph Science in Health Live open day (https://bit. have had very good attendance rates and (Washington University, pictured), who is ly/30vjx0v) at Cardiff University; and also the active discussion sessions during the virtual known for her seminal work on dendritic Life Sciences Challenge quiz, where schools in seminars, some of which have been recorded cell migration and assessing lymphatic Wales compete against each other, organised for members with childcare responsibilities. vasculature as a regulator of inflammation. by James Matthews. During lockdown, a journal club to review the Focusing on careers literature around SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 was Adriadni Kouzeli, Owen Moon, Ceri Fielding convened by Awen Gallimore and compiled by Our early career representatives are keen to and You Zhou, Division of Infection and Oliver Scourfield. A group of academic staff, provide support regarding career prospects of Immunity and Systems Immunity University postdoctoral researchers and PhD students fellow researchers. In 2018, Wiola Zelek and Research Institute, Cardiff University select and review papers to produce a weekly Ariadni Kouzeli organised a careers workshop, digest, being read by scientists and clinicians inviting speakers from different sectors to share in Cardiff and further afield (https://bit. their career progress following completion of ly/2OJtrpX). their PhD. Following the BSI Careers Report in Immunology 2017, it was deemed vital to Jonathan Boulter Memorial Lecture continue the conversation regarding careers The Jonathan Boulter Memorial Lecture in immunology inside and outside academia, is an annual public lecture arranged by and the challenges facing researchers. Our Andy Sewell and the group in memory medical student representatives, Timothy Woo of their friend and colleague, Jonathan and Khalid Osman, organised a careers evening
Boulter. Jonathan was a promising young at the medical school. During the event, Paul Part of the BSI South Wales team at ‘Techniquest: After Hours immunologist with a particular interest in the Morgan and Tariq El-Shanawany shared Rogue Cells 2019’. From left to right, Owen Moon, Ariadni bioengineering of high affinity T cell receptors, their successful career journeys on clinical Kouzeli, Ceri Fielding, You Zhou and Abdullah Alanazi. who tragically lost his brave fight with brain investigation and immunology research, which cancer in 2008. The lecture is delivered by received extremely positive feedback from outstanding, world-leading scientists to medical students. Find out more both South Wales BSI members and A-level To join the Group and take part in Science festivals students from local schools. upcoming activities: www.immunology. In the past three years, the lectures The BSI South Wales Group also funds org/south-wales-immunology-group. have been delivered by Nancy Ruddle several public outreach events to highlight the (Yale School of Medicine), known for her importance of immunology research in day-to- @ImmunoSW discovery of lymphotoxin; Bent Jakobsen day life. We have funded the ‘Our Body’ theme (CSO and co-founder of Immunocore, who of the Pint of Science festival in Cardiff for www.facebook.com/BSIsouthwales Jonathan worked with), expert in T-cell two consecutive years attracting audiences of
Immunology News | September 2020 30 JOURNAL NEWS Immune Update A round-up of new research published in the British Society for Immunology’s The BSI official journalsImmunology and Clinical & Experimental Immunology. Members journals can access these journals free of charge at www.immunology.org/journals.
Immunology Immunopathological characteristics of COVID-2019 cases in Guangzhou, China COVID-19 is a respiratory disorder caused They found that severe COVID-19 patients These results suggest that decreased by the highly contagious SARS-CoV-2, exhibited a decline in lymphocytes including lymphocytes and elevated IL-6, IL-10 and CRP and reported cases range from mild to CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, B cells and natural are reliable indicators of severe COVID-19. severe and sometimes critical. Tan et killer cells, along with the up-regulation of al. investigated the immunopathological IL-6, IL-10 and C-reactive protein. In patients Tan et al. 2020 Immunology 160 characteristics of patients with COVID-19 with mild COVID-19 immunosuppressive 261–268 https://bit.ly/3hqzHz6 by analysing the blood of patients. regulatory T cells moderately increased.
HIV infection suppresses antiviral immunity in microglia and macrophages Microglia and macrophages are key infection inhibited the phosphorylation components in the CNS innate immunity of IFN regulatory factors (IRF3 and IRF7) against viral infections, including HIV. and signal transducer and activator of However, these cells also serve as the transcription proteins (STAT1 and STAT3) major targets and reservoirs for HIV in in both HIV latently infected microglia and the CNS. acutely infected macrophages. Here, Lui et al. demonstrate how HIV These findings provide novel mechanisms evades the host cell-mediated immune for HIV infection and persistence in primary responses by inhibiting the expression of target and reservoir cells in the brain. Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) and interferons (IFNs) in macrophages and microglial Liu et al. 2020 Immunology 160 269–279 cells in vitro. Mechanistically, HIV https://bit.ly/3fUb6T3 Clinical & Experimental Immunology Altered phenotype and function of dendritic cells in patients with familial Mediterranean fever
As the most potent professional antigen- differentiation and function of DCs in FMF ©Shutterstock/Design_Cells presenting cells, dendritic cells (DCs) are still unclear. have the unique capacity to initiate and Funk et al. examined the phenotype maintain primary immune responses. and function of mature and immature Through pattern recognition receptors, monocyte-derived DCs (imMo-DCs and DCs sense molecules that are associated mMo-DCs) in patients and found imMo- with infection or tissue damage, triggering DCs showed elevated expression of the formation of inflammasomes upon maturation markers CD83, CD86 and HLA- intracellular stimulation. DR, while down-regulating CD206, CD209 The inherited autoinflammatory disease, and glycoprotein NMB. ImMo-DCs also display a transition towards a more mature familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is presented a higher capacity to migrate and phenotype. associated with deregulated activity stimulate the proliferation of unmatched of the pyrin inflammasome leading to allogeneic T cells, indicating that blood Funk et al. 2020 Clinical & Experimental acute inflammatory episodes. However, DCs in FMF are intrinsically activated and Immunology 201 1–11 https://bit.ly/3hu2LG1
MOSPD2 is a therapeutic target for the treatment of CNS inflammation In multiple sclerosis and experimental Yacov et al. investigated the role of This indicates that MOSPD2 is key in regulating autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), MOSPD2 using knock-out mice and found the migration of inflammatory monocytes myeloid cells comprise a major part of this led to a reduction in inflammatory and provides a new therapeutic target in the inflammatory infiltrates in the central monocytes in the blood, and the development treatment of CNS inflammatory diseases. nervous system (CNS). Myeloid cells express of EAE was significantly supressed. motile sperm domain-containing protein 2 Moreover, monoclonal antibodies generated Yacov et al. 2020 Clinical & (MOSPD2) and are involved in the regulation to target MOSPD2 halted EAE development Experimental Immunology 201 of monocyte migration. and reduced severity. 105–120 https://bit.ly/3jwRLcO
Immunology News | September 2020 JOURNAL NEWS 31
A summary of some of the latest papers from the world of immunology. Around the Written by Edd James, Louisa James, Donald Palmer and Mihil Patel. journals ©Shutterstock/3d_man Bacterial immunotherapy for cancer induces T cell- dependent immunity The Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine for bladder cancer is the only bacteria immunotherapy approved for cancer use, though the mechanism has remained unclear. Using a murine MB49 orthotopic model for bladder cancer, BCG was found to induce activation of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes, which displayed increased proliferation and differentiation markers, T cells with dysfunctional mitochondria induce multimorbidity and reduced exhaustion markers. The presence of BCG antigen-specific T and premature senescence cell responses did not determine the Age-related deterioration through a decline in of inflammatory type 1 cytokines IFN-g and anti-tumour effect of BCG. The transfer mitochondrial function increases susceptibility TNF-α. This resulted in a number of age- of T cells from mice treated with BCG to disease. This decline has been observed related features such as increased circulating and MB49, but not BCG alone, resulted in many different cells and tissues. However, cytokines resulting in chronic inflammation, a in improved survival in recipient mice. in what way changes in immunometabolism, characteristic of ‘inflammaging’, which induced Functional studies showed that the in particular in T cells, contributes to this senescence in several different tissues in mice. production of IFNg was one mechanism by susceptibility is unknown. Therefore, this study indicates that metabolic which BCG-specific T cells exert and effect. Here, Desdin-Micó et al. mimic changes in T cells can promote the ageing Use of MB49IFNGRKO tumour line mitochondrial loss in T cells through knockout process in tissues and may be involved in age- revealed a crucial role for interferon of mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM). related diseases. signalling in tumour clearance. They observed that T cells lacking TFAM exhibit characteristics such as skewing to Desdin-Micó et al. 2020 Science 368 1371–1376 Antonelli et al. 2020 PNAS a Th1 phenotype and increased secretion 117 18627–18637 National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health ©CCBYNC - Victor Segura Ibarra and Rita Serda, Ph.D., Structural cells are key and a site-specific manner. Analysis of regulators of organ-specific cell–cell interaction networks predicted immune responses extensive crosstalk between immune Throughout the body, non-haematopoietic cells and tissue-specific structural cells structural cells create physical barriers during both homeostasis and an active that provide a first line of defence against immune response. The authors found that potential pathogens. In this study, epigenetic modulation of gene expression Krausgruber et al. examine the mechanisms across different microenvironments by which these cells make an additional primes tissue to provide site-specific active contribution to host immunity. regulation of immune-related genes. Using multi-omics profiling of epithelial, This important study provides a key resource endothelial and stromal cells across for investigating the critical function that 12 different tissues in mice they found structural cells serve in regulating immunity. widespread expression of immune regulatory genes in both a cell-type specific Krausgruber et al. 2020 Nature 583 296–302
Dynamics in protein translation sustaining T cell preparedness The transition of naïve T cells to an quiescence state is an active process. which, following T cell activation, their activated status requires significant Proteins such as MHC class I and the activity and turnover markedly increase. cellular remodelling to look closely at transcription factor ETS were shown to Overall, these studies highlight the this process. Wolf et al. examine the be continuously degraded and replaced. preparedness of naïve T cells to become dynamics of protein synthesis of human Moreover, following activation, these activated and perhaps challenge our notion naïve and memory cells employing isotope proteins are rapidly downregulated, on what is defined as ‘resting’ T cells. labelling of amino acids. Interestingly, which appears to be regulated by mTOR they observe that naïve T cells undergo signalling pathways. Additionally, the Wolf et al. 2020 Nature a high turnover of protein synthesis, authors observed that naïve T cells Immunology 21 927–937 indicating that the maintenance of the contain large pools of glycolytic enzymes,
Immunology News | September 2020 #brandmaker_script
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One source for your T cell research Perfect your T cell stimulation and culture
Miltenyi Biotec is the leading provider for magnetic proliferation and survival cell separation. Now also rely on our high-quality • PepTivator® Peptide Pools: for robust antigen- T cell stimulation and culture products to probe T specific T cell stimulation cell responses to new depths. These reagents are • TexMACS™ Medium: high performance, serum- available to GMP grade. free cell culture medium or T cell expansion • MACS® Cytokines: for efficient T cell
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Unless otherwise specifically indicated, Miltenyi Biotec products and services are for research use only and not for therapeutic or diagnostic use. MACS, the Miltenyi Biotec logo, PepTivator, and TexMACS are registered trademarks or trademarks of Miltenyi Biotec and/or its affiliates in various countries worldwide. Copyright © 2020 Miltenyi Biotec and/or its affiliates. All rights Immunologyreserved. News | September 2020
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