Igv, Victoria - Scott Mueller Mariapia Degli-Esposti Laura Mackay ALLERGIES ’NOTHING to SNEEZE AT’

ASI NEWSJUNE 2017

VACCINATE ME CAFFEINATE ME QUIZ ME TEACH ME Days of Immunology in Australia and Aotearoa

Australasian Society 18 26 for Immunology Inc. PO Box 7108, ANDREW LEW: KEYSTONE SYMPOSIA Upper Ferntree Gully ASI Life Member on Viral Immunity and VIC 3156 Australia on the other side Tumor Immunology P: +61 3 9756 0128 [email protected] of ICI 2016 46th annual scientific Meeting of the AustrAlAsiAN society for immuNology invited speakers will include: burNet orAtor fouNdAtioN lecture PresideNt’s lecture lyNN corcorAN grAhAm mitchell chris goodNow Walter and eliza hall institute of Medical foursight associates Pty ltd garvan institute of Medical research, sydney research, vic PleNAry sPeAkers Judith AlleN rAJiv khANNA university of Manchester, uK QiMr Berghofer, Qld JeAN-lAureNt cAsANovA yutiNg mA the rocKefeller university, usa chinese acadeMy of Medical sciences, china shANe crotty fAbieNNe mAckAy la Jolla institute for allergy & iMMunology, usa university of MelBourne, vic mAriAPiA degli-esPosti lAurA mAckAy the lions eye institute, Wa university of MelBourne, vic michAel dustiN mAriA rescigNo university of oxford, uK university of Milan, italy cArolA viNuesA sArAh robertsoN australian national university, act university of adelaide, sa PhiliP hANsbro federicA sAllusto university of neWcastle, nsW university of lugano, sWitzerland PAul hertzog keN smith hudson institute of Medical research, vic caMBridge university, uK susAN kAech mArk smyth yale university, usa QiMr Berghofer, Qld

BrisBane convention & exhiBition centre 27 November - 1 december 2017 registration and abstract submission now open www.asi2017.org th 46 annual scientific Meeting of ASI NEWSLETTER JUNE 2017 the AustrAlAsiAN society CONTENTS EDITORIAL: CUTTING EDGE SO THAT ANDREW LEW: ASI LIFE MEMBER AND ICI 2017 THERE IS BLOOD ON THE FLOOR...... 4 ORGANISING COMMITTEE MEMBER...... 18 for immuNology Joanna Roberts Colonial Cringe: Out, Sweet Smell of ICI2016 Success: In DAYS OF IMMUNOLOGY DOWN UNDER...... 5 Kim McIntosh invited speakers will include: Commitment to Immunology shines through Gabriela Khoury PRESIDENTORIAL...... 20 burNet orAtor fouNdAtioN lecture PresideNt’s lecture Suzanne Heinzel SNAPSHOTS OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM 2017... 6 lyNN corcorAN grAhAm mitchell chris goodNow Gabriela Khoury SECRETARY’S REPORT...... 21 Walter and eliza hall institute of Medical foursight associates Pty ltd garvan institute of Medical research, sydney Elissa Deenick research, vic 500+ VACCINATIONS AT DOI VACCINATION PleNAry sPeAkers CAFÉ IN MELBOURNE...... 10 ASI VISITING SPEAKER PROGRAM ...... 22 A great step towards ‘Preventable Pandemics’ Jo Kirman Judith AlleN rAJiv khANNA Kim Pham university of Manchester, uK QiMr Berghofer, Qld BRANCH REPORTS...... 24 JeAN-lAureNt cAsANovA yutiNg mA DAY OF IMMUNOLOGY, QUEENSLAND...... 12 South Australia/Northern Territory - Iain Comerford the rocKefeller university, usa chinese acadeMy of Medical sciences, china Sumaira Z. Hasnain New Zealand - Ries Langley shANe crotty fAbieNNe mAckAy la Jolla institute for allergy & iMMunology, usa university of MelBourne, vic SCIENCE IN THE PUB: IgV, Victoria - Scott Mueller mAriAPiA degli-esPosti lAurA mAckAy ALLERGIES ’NOTHING TO SNEEZE AT’...... 14 Western Australia - Connie Jackaman the lions eye institute, Wa university of MelBourne, vic South Australia/Northern Territories Queensland - Sumaira Z. Hasnain michAel dustiN mAriA rescigNo Iain Comerford university of oxford, uK university of Milan, italy TRAVEL REPORTS...... 26 PUB QUIZ...... 15 cArolA viNuesA sArAh robertsoN Keystone Symposium Tumor Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin australian national university, act university of adelaide, sa Whistler, Canada - Kirsten Ward Hartstonge Ries Langley PhiliP hANsbro federicA sAllusto Keystone Symposium on Viral Immunity, New university of neWcastle, nsW university of lugano, sWitzerland DAY OF IMMUNOLOGY, WA...... 16 Mexico, USA - Yew Ann Leong PAul hertzog keN smith Lelinh Duong & Connie Jackaman 2017 FIMSA Advanced Course; 2017 International hudson institute of Medical research, vic caMBridge university, uK Symposium on Autoimmunity, Beijing, China - susAN kAech mArk smyth Delgertsetseg Chuluundorj, Hui-Fern Koay Godfrey, yale university, usa QiMr Berghofer, Qld Jonathan Chee

FRONT COVER: REACTIVE LYMPHOCYTE - LYNNE WILSON, PUBLICATIONS OF INTEREST...... 29 WESTERN AUSTRALIA, READ MORE ON PAGE 17 Our Sustaining Members

06 18 28 SUMPTUOUS CELLS Q: What was comparable WOOED BY BEIJING BrisBane convention & exhiBition centre The microscopic marvels to the work of 10 NMRHC Three young in the 'Snapshots of the grants, occupied three immunologists report back Immune System' are on years of his life, and was on their experience at the 27 November - 1 december 2017 show. worthwhile enough that Advanced Immunology he'd probably do it again? Course in Beijing here. registration and abstract submission now open Find out the answer...

www.asi2017.org 03 EDITORIAL ASI NEWSLETTER JUNE 2017

CUTTING EDGE SO THAT THERE IS BLOOD ON THE FLOOR JOANNA ROBERTS

“I call this ‘Flow Cytometry for the Masses’ and it will basically mean that you something. Someone approaches don’t need a cytometer to create high dimensional single cell data. We’ll see him to ask him if she can help. He explains he has lost his keys and CyTOF technology (in use) for the next 3-4 years and then after that people will is trying to find them. She asks, be doing this” Garry Nolan, May 2017, Stanford where did you lose them? He says, Garry was describing a technology and passion and compassion and over there, and gestures some in his lab to label individual cells fear and pain and death and hope way from where he is. She asks to generate gene data in a cell-by- all bound into one human story, why he is looking here then? He cell context which will generate the story of us and our species’ explains that it is dark over there data sets in a format that we can cancers. Mukherjee writes the and this is where the light is. think of like FCS files but with biography of cancer from its The streetlight effect is such an massive amounts of sequence earliest known example (a bone apt description of the context data per cell. cancer in a mummy) through to scientists can find themselves the start of the third millennium Hypothesis generating working in. Our techniques and (hence no immunotherapy which technologies get a fair bit of flack. tools let us look right here, in the we have to forgive him for). At Apparently grant reviewers hate light of the beautiful illumination one point in the book, Mukherjee them. But I like this quote from the of our current technology or tells the anecdote about the wonderfully under-stated Wendy paradigm. But we may very well streetlight effect. A version of it Fantl, Professor in the Dept of suspect that the answer, what goes: It is dark and a man is seen Gynaecology and Obstetrics at ever it looks like, is not here in on the street, under the street Stanford, ‘Well, they can call it a this light. It is over there, in the light, hunkered down furiously fishing expedition if they like, but dark, where it is much harder to searching the pavement for the fish are pretty good at the find. Here’s to all of you who work end’. outside the streetlight.

I recently read the ‘The Emperor ‘Well, they can call it a fishing of all Maladies” by Siddhartha expedition if they like, but the fish www.flowjoanna.co.nz Mukherjee. Such a mix of hubris are pretty good at the end’. [email protected]

Australasian Society for Immunology Inc. PO Box 7108, Upper Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 P: +61 3 9756 0128 E: [email protected]

04 DAY OF IMMUNOLOGY REPORTS ASI NEWSLETTER JUNE 2017

DAYS OF IMMUNOLOGY DOWN UNDER Commitment to Immunology shines through

DAY OF IMMUNOLOGY 2017 GABRIELA KHOURY Day of Immunology National Coordinator and Social Media Manager

This year has been my first as Day of Immunology National Coordinator. It is encouraging to see so many researchers excited about engaging with the public and promoting immunology.

Every branch hosted a variety of events including public lectures, laboratory discovery tours, student workshops, a touring photography exhibition, a vaccination café and much more!

Enjoy the articles in this issue of the newsletter provided by the local organising committees. COFFEE AND IMMUNITY – A FABULOUS COMBINATION. PHOTO COURTESY OF G KHOURY. Congratulations to all of the states, your hard work made for Australasian Society for Immunology Inc. a successful Day of Immunology To see more posts on the event check out Day of Immunology and ASI on PO Box 7108, Upper Ferntree Gully VIC 3156 2017. I can’t wait to see what we twitter (@dayofimmunology; @asimmunology) and Instagram (@doiaus). P: +61 3 9756 0128 E: [email protected] have installed for next year!

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SNAPSHOTS OF THE I have never seen so IMMUNE SYSTEM 2017 many selfies taken with GABRIELA KHOURY immunological images at once!

It is only the second year of Snapshots of the Immune System exhibition and the responses to combining art and immunology continues to be phenomenal! This year the event dramatically expanded with a total of 76 entries submitted by 44 researchers (individual and also in collaboration) from around Australia and New Zealand. Forty- eight images were exhibited representing all 44 researchers. Multiple Day of Immunology events around Australia have displayed the photos.

The exhibition launch night was held at The Melbourne Meat EXHIBITION AT THE MONASH IMMERSIVE VISUALISATION PLATFORM. Market, North Melbourne. As well PHOTO COURTESY OF GABRIELA KHOURY

THIS WAY FOR ‘SNAPSHOTS’. PHOTO VENUE FOR SNAPSHOTS OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM EXHIBITION AT THE MEAT MARKET. COURTESY OF G KHOURY PHOTO COURTESY OF HUI FERN KOAY.

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Melbourne) and the interaction between the immune and nervous systems with Samantha Dando (Monash University).

The exhibition travelled during April and May to the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, and the Translational Research Institute. It is currently on display at the Centre for Inflammatory Diseases at the Monash Medical Centre in Clayton; drop by if you haven’t seen the exhibition.

This issue highlights some of the entries, including the four prize-winning images by Melanie McCoy, Tracey Lee-Pullen and Chidozie Anyaegbu (WA), Sivanjah Indumathy (VIC), Dave Goulding and Trevor Lithgow (VIC) and Caleb Dawson (VIC).

The exhibition wouldn’t have been possible without the help of many CSL 1ST PRIZE OF THE SCIENTIFIC PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION 2017. volunteers. I would especially like MELANIE MCCOY, TRACEY LEE-PULLEN AND CHIDOZIE ANYAEGBU, CANCER RESEARCH GROUP, ST JOHN OF GOD SUBIACO HOSPITAL, WA. “THE WORLD OF TUMOUR to thank my fantastic organising IMMUNOLOGY” committee Catarina dos Santos

as 44 photographs, there were 5 video projections and 3D printed models were exclusively featured from the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute.

This year we were fortunate to collaborate with the Monash Immersive Visualisation Platform. The “CAVE” platform consists of a 360 degree computer screen which gives the feeling that you are standing within the images. Fifty-three students from the John Monash Science School visited the CAVE and were immersed in the immune system. I have never seen so many selfies taken with immunological images at once! BD BIOSCIENCES PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD OF THE SCIENTIFIC PHOTOGRAPHY In the evening attendees from EXHIBITION 2017. the public loved discussing T-cell CALEB DAWSON, WALTER AND ELIZA HALL INSTITUTE, VICTORIA. “GUARDIANS OF THE graduation in the thymus with GUT VILLI: MACROPHAGES (‘BIG EATERS’) IN YOUR GUT MONITOR FOR INFECTIONS, SUPPRESS INFLAMMATION AND REGULATE TOLERANCE TO MICROBIOTA. Darryl Johnson (University of

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Sa e Almeida, Catriona Nguyen- Robertson, Fernanda Ana Sosa, Angela Pizzolla, Christophe Macri, and Hui Fern Koay.

The committee would also like to thank the judges who attended the Melbourne Meat Market opening night: Su Heinzel (ASI President), Prof Jacques Miller (WEHI), Prof William Heath from event sponsor Centre for Advanced Molecular Imaging, and Nicolas Wong of BD Biosciences. A special thank you to Andreas Hamacher and the CAVE2 team from Monash Immersive Visualisation Platform for helping adapt the exhibition to the CAVE. THE WALTER AND ELIZA HALL INSTITUTE PROF. JACQUES MILLER’S CHOICE AWARD OF Be inspired by this year’s entries THE SCIENTIFIC PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION 2017. featured in this issue because the DAVE GOULDING AND TREVOR LITHGOW, MONASH BIOMEDICINE DISCOVERY INSTITUTE AND MONASH UNIVERSITY, VICTORIA “HUMAN CELLS DECEIVED BY SALMONELLA INTO team and I are eagerly awaiting PICKING IT UP” your entries for 2018!

DANIELE CULTRONE, GARVAN INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL RESEARCH, NSW. “PERFECT MOMENT IN TIME” THESE TRANSGENIC REPORTER ZEBRAFISH EXPRESS ENHANCED GREEN FLUORESCENT PROTEIN (EGFP) FUSED MONASH UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF IMMUNOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY AWARD OF THE WITH NF-KB’S REGULATORY ELEMENTS. SCIENTIFIC PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION 2017. NF-KB IS A KEY TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR THAT REGULATES THE SIVANJAH INDUMATHY, HUDSON INSTITUTE OR MEDICAL RESEARCH AND MONASH INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE. THE UNIVERSITY, VICTORIA. “THE SPLEEN” DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TOP FISH (DIM GREEN) AND THE BOTTOM FISH (BRIGHT GREEN) IS THAT THE BOTTOM ZEBRAFISH HAS BEEN STIMULATED WITH CONSTANTIN LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDES (LPS), WHICH CONSTANTINOIU, COLLEGE ARE LARGE BACTERIAL MOLECULES THAT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, MEDICAL ELICIT A STRONG IMMUNE RESPONSE. AND VETERNARY SCIENCES, JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY, QLD. “CATTLE TICK (RHIPICEPHALUS AUSTRALIS) MOULTING ON A COW AND THE HOST REACTION. T CELLS ARE IN RED AND MHC II CELLS IN RED”

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MAYAN AMIEZER, GARVAN INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL RESEARCH, NSW. “HERE WE DID NOT IMAGE THE ENTIRE GUT SWISS ROLL BUT ZOOMED IN ON A REGION SHOWCASING A SPECIAL IMMUNE TISSUE CALLED PEYER’S PATCHES.” MICHAELA FINSTERBUSCH, CENTRE FOR INFLAMMATORY DISEASES, MONASH UNIVERSITY, VIC. “THE GATE KEEPERS OF THE STOMACH”

LI EON KUEK, DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, THE DARRYL JOHNSON AND ROBYN CONNIE JACKMAN, CURTIN HEALTH UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE. SLATTERY, PETER DOHERTY INSTITUTE, INNOVATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE, “WAVING GOODBYE TO INFECTIONS THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE; CURTIN UNIVERSITY, WA. AND POLLUTANTS: AIRWAY CILIA IN THE MONASH UNIVERSITY. “THE HOUSE DUST MITE: TINY ALLERGY- LUNGS.” “IMMUNE CELL CONFETTI.” TRIGGERING BUGS.”

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09 DAY OF IMMUNOLOGY REPORTS ASI NEWSLETTER JUNE 2017

500+ VACCINATIONS AT DOI VACCINATION CAFÉ IN MELBOURNE A great step towards ‘Preventable Pandemics’ KIM PHAM

Day of Immunology Melbourne has gone from strength to strength with well over 1500 school children and general members of the public attending various activities in Victoria. This year’s theme was Preventable Pandemics.

The second exhibition of “Snapshots of the Immune System” photography exhibition was launched at Meat Market North Melbourne on Thursday 6th April. This exhibition also travelled to Monash University and the Peter Doherty Institute. Congratulations to our 2017 ROBERT DOYLE, MAYOR OF MELBOURNE, AT THE VACCINATION CAFÉ winners for their wonderful entries. (Please see article in this Newsletter by Gabi Khoury for a At the Melbourne Town Hall on Lajoie (Vaccin8 at work), Sharon full report). Friday 28th April the Vaccination Harris (City of Melbourne), Wendy Café was opened by Lord Reid (Immunise Melbourne, A free public lecture was held at Mayor Robert Doyle. Over 500 Melbourne Primary Health Care the University of Melbourne, Peter seasonal influenza vaccinations Network), members from the Doherty Institute on Friday 28th and whooping cough boosters Immunisation Coalition and the April covering current pandemics were administered to the general many volunteer nurses who such as influenza, HIV/AIDS, public, eclipsing last year’s 220 donated their time on the day. dengue and zika. The public were vaccinations! The vaccinated ones Full day immunology workshops treated to lectures by Prof. Nicole had the opportunity to discuss were held for approximately 300 La Gruta (Monash University), with local immunologists the VCE Biology students and their Prof. Sharon Lewin (The University science behind vaccination along teachers at the Gene Technology of Melbourne) and Prof. Cameron with a free coffee courtesy of Access Centre in Parkville Simmons (The University of Bean to Market. We also had our over April 27th and 28th, and Melbourne). This was a full house first onsite infant clinic hosted by Federation University in Ballarat event hosted by the effervescent City of Melbourne. Thank-you to on June 16th. Students listened Nick Huntington. our vaccination partners Kerryn to the immunology presented by

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subcommittee chairs Gabriela Khoury (publicity, photography exhibition), Dimitra Zotos (secondary school workshops), Jai Rautela (vaccination café), Daniel Pellici (public lecture) and Paul Whitney as well as Nicole Messina (discovery tours). Stay tuned for next year!

MELBOURNIANS SOAKING UP THE VACCINATION AMBIENCE AT THE DAY OF IMMUNOLOGY VACCINATION CAFÉ.

Prof. Phil Hodgkin, Sir Gus Nossall and Prof. Peter Doherty as well as attending a careers session over lunch from scientists of a variety of backgrounds. Over 500 seasonal influenza Free Discovery Tours were vaccinations and whooping 3D PRINTED MODELS FROM THE MONASH offered at six of Melbourne’s cough boosters were BIOMEDICINE DISCOVERY INSTITUTE leading immunology research AT THE ‘SNAPSHOTS OF THE IMMUNE administered to the public SYSTEM’ EXHIBITION. institutes. Collectively over 250 members of the general public visited Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Burnet Institute, Doherty Institute, Hudson Institute, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Monash Centre for Inflammatory Diseases.

Thank-you to the ASI for their support and our significant sponsorship from CSL, The ARC Centre For Advanced Molecular Imaging, Monash Department for Immunology, Hudson, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and BD Bioscience.

The success of Day of Immunology Melbourne is thanks to a team of over 60 scientists who volunteer their time to help THE MELBOURNE ‘DOI SNAPSHOTS’ SUB COMMITTE AT THE OPENING OF THE EXHIBITION. spread the importance of our (LEFT TO RIGHT) CHRISTOPHE MACRI, CATRIONA NGUYEN-ROBERTSON, CATARINA DOS SANTOS SA E ALMEIDA, GABRIELA KHOURY, HUI FERN KOAY, FERNANDA ANA SOSA. immune system. It has been a ABSENT: ANGELA PIZZOLLA. pleasure co-ordinating these PHOTOS COURTESY OF GABRIELA KHOURY events with the support of my

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DAY OF IMMUNOLOGY, QUEENSLAND SUMAIRA Z. HASNAIN

We have had very successful DOI events in Queensland, with major events being held in Townsville and Brisbane. A big thank you to the DOI-Qld committee (Danielle Stanisic, Frances Pearson, Margaret Jordan, Kirsty Short, Saba Farnaghi and Burhan Khan) for making these events a success. Reports by the DOI leads follow.

‘DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN IMMUNOLOGIST’, VACCINATION CAFÉ, PUBLIC FORUM, AND DISEASE OUTBREAK WORKSHOP Translational Research Institute, Brisbane DANIELLE STANISIC

This year we celebrated the Day of Outbreak” workshop. They had Immunology at the Translational non-stop questions for all the Research Institute on the 27-28 speakers – Danielle Stanisic, April. On the Thursday, Grade Sandrine Roy, Burhan Khan, Prof. 11-12 students attended the ‘Day John Upham and Graham Leggatt. in the Life of an Immunologist” They also had a great time in workshop at the SparQed facility. the lab with the hand washing They listened to seminars from experiment, pipetting workshop Graham Leggatt and Prof. Ian and microscopy. We had great Frazer, participated in career chats feedback from the students and and worked alongside scientists in parents (including “My son said it the laboratory to identify “Patient was his best learning day ever”) 0”. In the evening we held our and hope to hold this workshop vaccination café and public forum. for younger students again next Prof. Ranjeny Thomas presented year to help inspire the next an update on the progress of generation of scientists. A big a rheumatoid arthritis vaccine thank you to the Translational and Prof. Daniel Chambers Research Institute Marketing Team with his patient Mr Meyers, (especially Carla Paterson and Ash discussed organ transplantation Doyle) and Mater Research for and immunotherapy. Six early sponsoring part of the event. career researchers impressed with their “3 minute research pitch” with the audience voting for the best presentations. Prizes were awarded to Jeremy ABOVE: ORGANISER OF THE BRISBANE Brooks (UQDI) and Kelly-Anne DAY OF IMMUNOLOGY EVENTS, Masterman (MMRI) (pictured). On DR. DANIELLE STANISIC, WITH THE the Friday, for the first time, we ECR WINNERS FOR THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AWARD hosted Grade 6-7 students in the LEFT: WATCH ‘3 MINUTE RESEARCH PITCH’ SparQed facility for a “Disease

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USING THE IMMUNE SYSTEM TO TREAT CANCER PUBLIC LECTURE James Cook University, Townsville MARGARET JORDAN

ABOVE & RIGHT: HAND WASHING EXPERIMENT WITH 5-6TH GRADERS: SO HOW LONG DO YOU REALLY NEED TO WASH YOUR HANDS FOR? IN SCIENCE, WE DON’T GUESS! ONE OF THE FIRST SPARQED PROGRAMS FOR THIS AGE GROUP.

In celebration of the International beer or soft-drink accompanied Day of Immunology, a Public by hot and cold food, while Lecture was organised at JCU, browsing posters showing aspects Townsville on 27th April by an ASI of the immune system and its Queensland committee member, functions. Vaccination videos and staff member of Molecular were screened on the communal & Cell Biology, JCU, Margaret TV, while CDs and booklets on Jordan. We were honoured to “our incredible immune system” have Prof. Geoff Hill, an NHMRC and “vaccinations” were freely Australia Fellow and leader in the available, as were stickers and fields of transplantation, from badges. These all went down a QIMR Berghofer, give us a most treat. Following the presentation, enlightening presentation on: the floor was opened for general “Using the immune system to treat questions and discussion. This cancer”. Prof. Hill is a clinician was so well received that we whose immunology laboratory had to wrap it up and leave the focuses on the interactions participants to chat to Geoff between cytokines, antigen afterwards. The talk was most presenting cells and regulatory T enjoyable and the event was an cells during transplantation. He enormous success. A special gave a wonderful presentation, thank-you to Geoff for giving up outlining the leaps and bounds of his precious time to come and talk T therapy and the future of cancer to us. Thank you too, to Molecular therapeutics. & Cell Biology for the huge contribution in funds and to all This was our first, of hopefully those who helped make the day many, public events held in the a success: Candi Lee, Benjamin new “Science Place”. Participants Crowley, Letitia Smith, Adrian DOI ACTIVITIES IN TOWNSVILLE – APRIL could enjoy a glass of wine or a 2017 – LED BY MARGARET JORDAN Gemiarto and Linda Barrie.

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DAY OF IMMUNOLOGY, SOUTH AUSTRALIA/ NORTHERN TERRITORIES BRANCH Science in the Pub: Allergies ’Nothing to Sneeze at’ IAIN COMERFORD

On Friday 5th of May the SA/NT was a stimulating Q+A session branch of ASI teamed up with afterwards. A big thank you to ‘Science in the Pub’ to celebrate our invited speakers for agreeing the Day of Immunology at the Rob to give up their Friday night Roy Hotel in Adelaide. The theme to come along and share their of this year’s event was, ‘Allergies: passion for immunology. We also Nothing to Sneeze At’. Our displayed the Snapshots of the aim was to discuss with the lay Immune System gallery, which audience the biology of allergy, looked spectacular. Thank you showcasing local research in this also to the Science in the Pub area and answer questions from team, led by Stefan Caddy-Retalic the public about allergy. We had a and Nick Gellie, for facilitating full house with over 160 members the organisation and promotion of the public snapping up tickets of the event. I would also like to to the event. Our invited speakers thank the organising committee, were Preethi Eldi (UniSA) who have helped in the lead up to who spoke about her work on the event: Emma Thompson, Lih developing vaccines for food Tan and Danushka Wijesundara, allergies; Damon Tumes (SAHMRI) Jasmine Wilson, Joe Wrin, Tim who spoke about his work on Tyliss, Todd Norton, Kerrie Foyle, T cells in asthma; and Merryn Jade Foeng, Elena Cavallaro, Jake Netting (SAHMRI) who discussed Treolar, James McEvoy, Ella Green, food allergies in children. Excellent Andrew Stempel, Issac Sakala, talks were given by all and there Preethi Eldi and Carly Gregor.

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LEFT: SCIENCE IN THE PUB INVITED SPEAKERS (LEFT TO RIGHT) MERRYN NETTING, PREETHI ELDI, DAMON TUMES

DAY OF IMMUNOLOGY, NEW ZEALAND Pub Quiz, University of Otago, Dunedin RIES LANGLEY

A very successful Day of Immunology Pub Quiz was held at the University of Otago Staff club on 1st May. There was a full house of 18 teams made up of 4-6 members, from departments within the University of Otago and also from the public. Each multi-choice question in the quiz was preceded by a fact relating to basic immunology and allergy to keep with this year’s theme. Members of the first place team won a “Giant microbes” antibody soft toy (with detachable antigen). Prizes were also awarded for 2nd and 3rd place, last place, and best team name (“Clean up on IL-3”). Many thanks to Sarah Sandford for A PACKED HOUSE AT THE OTAGO DAY OF IMMUNOLOGY PUB QUIZ. organising this event.

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DAY OF IMMUNOLOGY, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

AFTERNOON OF IMMUNOLOGY PUBLIC SYMPOSIUM Harry Perkins Institute for Medical Research LELINH DUONG

As part of Day of Immunology, the ASI WA student committee (Wayne Aston, Amy Prosser, Laura Brooks and Lelinh Duong) organised an Afternoon of Immunology Public Symposium on 21st April held at the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research. This event proved to be very popular, attracting over 90 registrants. The program included talks from keynote speakers A/Prof. Michaela Lucas (PathWest) who spoke about allergy and transplantation, Dr Claire Sharp (Murdoch University) on veterinary immunology, A/ Prof. Peter Richmond (Telethon Kids Institute) on vaccines, and Prof. Anna Nowak (University of Western Australia) on cancer immunology. Other highlights of the day included presentations by WA’s talented postgraduate students, followed by a sundowner and lab tours to finish off an exciting day of immunology.

TOP: PROF. ANNA NOWAK PRESENTING ON CANCER IMMUNOLOGY AT THE ASI WA STUDENT COMMITTEE AFTERNOON OF IMMUNOLOGY MIDDLE: A/PROF. MICHAELA LUCAS SPEAKING ABOUT ALLERGY AND TRANSPLANTATION AT THE ASI WA STUDENT COMMITTEE AFTERNOON OF IMMUNOLOGY BOTTOM: A/PROF. PETER RICHMOND EXPLAINS VACCINES AT THE ASI WA STUDENT COMMITTEE AFTERNOON OF IMMUNOLOGY

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2ND ANNUAL DAY OF IMMUNOLOGY 5-A-SIDE SOCCER TOURNAMENT Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute (CHIRI), Curtin University CONNIE JACKAMAN

Close to 40 staff and students at to process their losses following CHIRI competed in the 2nd Annual the round games, with the T cells Day of Immunology 5-a-side and B cells left to fight for the ASI soccer tournament organised by cup in the final. Some interesting PhD student, Waheed Alrehaily, lineages appeared as a few TISSUE CULTURE WELL JELLY CAKE - STEPHEN PROKSCH on 27th April. A number of other dendritic cells also became B cells staff and students also came to for the final. Both the T and B cells support the “immune cells” in displayed memory from last year’s their fight for the ASI cup. We event and managed to mount MORNING TEAS had great weather for the event a greater response this year. HOSTED AT CHIRI and four teams were entered into However, eventually the T cells Curtin University and School the competition: dendritic cells, were exhausted again leaving the of Pathology and Laboratory macrophages, T cells and B cells. B cells the winners on the day, 2-0 Medicine (PaLM), UWA Macrophages had undergone in the final. Overall the day was a CONNIE JACKAMAN training prior to the event, great success and we are aiming For the Day of Immunology, staff however this did not appear to be for an even better response next and students at CHIRI (organised long lasting as they lost all their year, with hopefully more teams by Dr Connie Jackaman) and matches. Dendritic cells also failed entering the competition. PaLM (organised by Dr Demelza Ireland) were invited to bring along their best immunology- themed morning tea. Images from the “Snapshots of the Immune System” exhibition (organised by Gabriela Khoury) were on display and more than a dozen creative cakes, biscuits, savoury dips and sushi were brought in to taste across the two sites. Some examples included a jelly tissue culture well, bone marrow pie, influenza virus particle, and reactive lymphocytes. Everyone was very enthusiastic and supportive of the entries! It was a great way to celebrate the International Day of Immunology and to bring staff and students together at CHIRI and PaLM.

TOP: TEAM ‘B CELLS’ – WINNERS OF THE 2ND ANNUAL DAY OF IMMUNOLOGY SOCCER TOURNAMENT IN WA. ABOVE: COMPETING TEAMS GET DOWN TO IT AT THE 2ND ANNUAL DAY OF IMMUNOLOGY SOCCER TOURNAMENT IN WA GOING VIRAL - OLIVIA RUHEN

17 ANDREW LEW ASI NEWSLETTER JUNE 2017

ANDREW LEW: ASI LIFE MEMBER AND ICI 2017 ORGANISING COMMITTEE MEMBER Colonial Cringe: Out, Sweet Smell of ICI2016 Success: In KIM MCINTOSH

Andrew Lew, elected Life Member of the Australian Society of Immunology in 2016, advocates giving your time to ASI. The joy of achieving something for the community that you belong to stays with you. As a Postdoc in the late 1980s, Andrew first attended an ASI conference not long after returning to Australia from the NIH after co-discovering the gamma-delta TCR. He was inspired by the late Geoff Shellam, who talked about his vision for ASI and his willingness to take risks, including financial ones. Andrew states “Geoff instilled that we ANDREW AT THE WALTER AND ELIZA HALL INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL RESEARCH. are all responsible for promoting PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE WALTER AND ELIZA HALL INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL RESEARCH. not just ASI but the industry that supports us.” At the time, Andrew was also surprised by in Arabian horses. Due to a short helps one to write NHMRC grants how few of the stars of Australian supply of reagents at the time, with a broader view. immunology community attended Andrew worked closely with Cliff Andrew has clearly recognised the annual scientific meeting, a Hosking at the Royal Children’s the contributions of ASI’s office- trend he is pleased to note has Hospital in Melbourne. He found bearers over the years. Andrew now markedly changed. One of Cliff to be an inspiring, innovative, reflects; “I think essentially all the the more challenging issues he generous, self-effacing clinician ASI Presidents in the last 20 years found was a substantial level of scientist who trained with the have added substantial initiatives parochialism and colonial cringe. larger-than-life John Soothill to ASI. For example, Phil Hodgkin He notes that whilst this has not (London) one of the fathers of introduced the Derrick Rowley entirely disappeared over the immunodeficiency. Award; Alan Baxter fostered the years, it has definitely reduced. Andrew’s contribution to ASI has bid for the International Congress Andrew’s initial scientific training allowed him to meet colleagues to be held in Australia.” He notes was as a Vet and he completed from all over Australia and New that there are also challenges his PhD in Immunology in 1983 Zealand. More often than not, for voluntary ASI office-bearers. at the London School of Hygiene these meetings have evolved to Andrew states; “They, in general, and Tropical Medicine and was collaborations if not friendships. put in much effort for the good awarded the Woodruff Medal. He has gained insight into differing of the ASI and Immunology. They He first became interested in points of view and differing values. deserve gratitude (even though immunology when studying SCID Knowledge of this phenomenon that is not why they bear office);

18 ANDREW LEW ASI NEWSLETTER JUNE 2017

seldom is this gratitude realized in Andrew was delighted with the a palpable way.” Lafferty Debate (organised by Shalin Naik and Nicole LaGruta). Andrew Lew, was invited to Andrew comments “The plenary join the organising committee room was a sea of laughter” and of ICI2016 by Jose Villadangos. the sheer size was forbidding. Little did he know then that he Over 300 assessors for the would end up as Convenor of the expected 2000 abstracts (they Scientific Program Committee. ended up with 3,600 instead!) Andrew quickly realised the were recruited. From 2015-2016 mammoth task he had agreed to, there was something to do every noting that the ‘serious’ business day, luckily by then the committee of organising ICI2016 in Melbourne was ably assisted by the team commenced as soon as ICI2013, from PCO Arinex who were both Milan, concluded. From ICI2013 ANDREW LEW AT ICI 2016. PHOTO: experienced and enthusiastic. the 2016 organising committee COURTESY OF ARINEX. (Jose, Andrew, Dale Godfrey, The key moment for Andrew at Ian Barr, Jenny Rolland, Chris ICI2016, and when he was certain of cancer and inflammation, Goodnow) gained insight into it was going to be a fabulous channelling the conclusions of what was useful (eg: automatic success, was on the Tuesday night Landsteiner in the 1920s that one stops for talks) and what could of the actual congress. Andrew can make an antibody to anything! be greatly improved (eg: offline recalls at the Speakers’ dinner how On a cautionary note, Andrew app). This select small organising generous the invited speakers and wonders which of today’s major committee was structured so it Michele Hogan (CEO of AAI) were paradigms will be shown to be could make final determinations with their praise on the success fallacious in the next 10 years? quickly. The scientific program of the meeting, particularly Which will go the way of “CD8 committee chose the 70 themes highlighting the themes of gender suppressor T cells of the late 70s” of the congress and determined and youth. the program structure, including and “Jerne’s idiotype network When asked if he would do it the time allocations for each theory”? again Andrew said probably. session and avoiding theme Andrew is a Laboratory Head However, this experience has clashes. They also determined a within the Immunology Division clearly been insightful and if maximum number of reminders at The Walter and Eliza Hall he did it again he would be for chairs and speakers (three). Institute of Medical Research. more prepared for the immense His current research centres on workload, the continuous the control of life and death of emotional burden of ensuring dendritic cells and harnessing competent completion of every the immune response at the detail and dealing with issues that inflammatory parenchymal site in can arise from left of field. He transplantation and autoimmunity. would also enlist more secretarial What Andrew enjoys most about support for the task. Andrew also his job is threefold; he enjoys compared the undertaking as collaborating with researchers worse than writing ten NHMRC who “love science more than project grants. their own egos”; interacting with For ICI2019 Beijing, Andrew members of the Immunology and predicts that there will be Molecular Immunology Divisions more Chinese immunologists at The Walter and Eliza Hall attending than American ones. Institute of Medical Research; Furthermore, he sees the current and last but not least, watching trend toward immunotherapy students and young researchers being a key focus with monoclonal improve. Moreover, he adds “The antibodies dominating the global Nature and Science papers are pharmaceutical market. Andrew by-products of one’s endeavour, ANDREW LEW AT ICI 2016. PHOTO: also predicts their usefulness will COURTESY OF ARINEX. albeit glorious ones”. extend beyond the treatment

19 PRESIDENTORIAL ASI NEWS JULY 2017

PRESIDENTORIAL SUSANNE HEINZEL

When I got the reminder to submit FIMSA held their 2017 Advanced the past few decades. In 2015 the President’s column I thought Training Course in Beijing in we introduced the Foundation there must have been a mistake... April in conjunction with the Lecture as an exciting new event and yet here we are, almost half International Symposium on at our annual meeting to celebrate way through 2017. My first thought Autoimmunity. ASI was well the outstanding contributions by was ‘oh no, where has the year represented with our current and outstanding people and to give the gone?’ but then quickly realised past FIMSA councillors Laura new generations of immunologists what a busy time it has been. McKay and Alan Baxter on the the unique opportunity to hear teaching faculty of the Training about the discoveries from the The change that will probably Course. And three of our student people who made them. We are have the most impact on the / early career members (Jonathan very pleased that Graham Mitchell society is the new publishing Chee, Delgertsetseg Chuluundorj, accepted our invitation for 2017 agreement for our two journals. and Hui-Fern Koay) received a and I am looking forward to After 10 successful years with travel scholarship to attend the hearing about the times before NPG we decided to put ICB and course and the Symposium on there were B and T cells. CTI into the very capable hands Autoimmunity, thanks to the of Wiley. We are looking to a The organisation of the local generous support from FIMSA great relationship with Wiley and branch meetings is also in full and the Chinese Society for thank the NPG team for their swing in most branches. These Immunology. A report on their support and great work over the are exciting opportunities to travels can be found in this past 10 years. learn about the research going on newsletter. around you and usually there are April 29th marks the World Day great prizes up for grabs for the of Immunology and the DoI We are extremely proud to be in the students / early career scientists. teams around Australia and NZ exceptional position that several of Start thinking about your abstract have once again excelled with our members have been responsible for these, they might be the ticket their creativity putting together for some of the biggest and most to the annual meeting in Brisbane! wonderful events. There were important discoveries in Immunology public lectures, lab tours, school Last but not least, several workshops, photographic over the past few decades positons on council, including exhibitions, vaccine cafes, just to Vice President, NSW Councillor Looking ahead, the organisation name a few. The events aimed and Newsletter Editor are coming of the 2017 annual scientific to educate the public about the up to be filled in 2018. Now is meeting to be held in Brisbane is importance and the beauty of the time to start thinking about well underway. The program looks the immune system were bigger getting involved and to find out fantastic with a stellar selection of and better than ever and we had more. Please feel free to contact local and international speakers. a record attendance at many of the current position holders them. Thanks go out to all the We are extremely proud to be who will be more than happy to countless volunteers throughout in the exceptional position that provide more information and ASI and in particular, to Gabi several of our members have details. Watch this space and Khoury who co-ordinated the been responsible for some of e-mail announcements for further events across the branches with a the biggest and most important information. I’d really like to calm and steady hand. discoveries in Immunology over encourage everybody considering to nominate.

20 SECRETARY’S REPORT ASI NEWS JULY 2017

SECRETARY’S REPORT ELISSA DEENICK

The last few months saw the call out for the International Travel For postgrads and postdocs looking to travel to conferences in Awards. These awards covered travel between July and December of the first half of 2018 keep an eye 2017 for postgrads and postdocs and travel July 2017-June 2018 for out for the call for the next round the senior awards. The response was very good, and we hope to have of awards in September/October the results out to people in the coming weeks. of this year. But the International Travel Awards are not the only awards that ASI gives out each year. Later in the year we will also have a second round of the Jared Purton Award and there will be a call for applications for the ASI Annual Award in Brisbane. And remember, as an ASI member if you publish a first author paper in Immunology & Cell Biology you’re also eligible for the Immunology & Cell Publication of the Year award which not only gives you $1000 in prize money but also a guaranteed speaker spot at the next ASI meeting along with free registration. Check out the ASI website for all the details.

Later in the year we will also have a second round of the Jared Purton Award and there will be a call for applications for the ASI Annual Award in Brisbane.

21 ASI VISITING SPEAKER PROGRAM ASI NEWSLETTER JUNE 2017

ASI VISITING SPEAKER PROGRAM JO KIRMAN University of Otago, Dunedin, NZ

FINAL NOMINATION ROUND FOR Diseases, Monash Health and Dr York, who visited Sydney and 2017 ASI VISITING SPEAKERS Ian Woolley, Director, Monash Melbourne in Australia as well Many thanks to the six ASI HIV. We were also excited as Wellington in New Zealand. members who have their speaker to demonstrate the Monash Scientists at the Malaghan nominations in the final round University Immersive Visualisation Institute in Wellington were for 2017. These nominations have Platform for Prof Haigwood.” delighted by his visit. PhD student Olivia Burns was “very grateful been carefully considered by the ASI VISITING SPEAKER – ASSO- for the opportunity to discuss branch councillors and ASI Exec CIATE PROF DANIEL MUCIDA will use branch rankings to make our research with a scientist The second ASI visiting speaker their selection. It was fantastic to of Daniel Mucida’s calibre” for 2017 was gut immunologist see excellent gender diversity in as he “was interested in all of Assoc. Prof. Daniel Mucida of this nomination round! our projects, providing many the Rockefeller University, New students with ideas for their future ASI VISITING SPEAKER – PRO- FESSOR NANCY HAIGWOOD HIV vaccine researcher, Prof. Nancy Haigwood, was the first ASI visiting speaker for 2017, visiting Canberra, Melbourne and Brisbane in February, as well as attending the Lorne Infection and Immunity meeting as an international speaker. Andrea Johannessen expressed her gratitude to the ASI for sponsoring Nancy’s visit to the Monash University Centre for Inflammatory Diseases. “Nancy presented ‘Antibodies and Change Agents in HIV: Good News for Vaccines’, which was a fantastic overview of the development of vaccines for HIV in her laboratory and the Oregon National Primate Research Center. Nancy met with PROF NANCY HAIGWOOD AND EARLY-CAREER RESEARCHERS, SAN LIM AND NOLLAIG several of our staff and students BOURKE (BOTH HUDSON INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL RESEARCH), AT THE EARLY-RESEARCH after the seminar including Dr CAREERS LUNCH AND NETWORKING EVENT OF THE 7TH LORNE INFECTION AND Tony Korman, Head of Infectious IMMUNITY CONFERENCE (FEBRUARY 15TH – 17TH , 2017)

22 ASI VISITING SPEAKER PROGRAM ASI NEWSLETTER JUNE 2017

research”. PhD student Kerry Hilligan said that Daniel “gave an enlightening seminar on intestinal intra-epithelial lymphocytes and their behaviour in response to infection. Their multi-dimensional approach, using sophisticated imaging techniques to assess immune cells in space and time, was of particular interest and addressed previously unanswered questions regarding the physical action of immune surveillance. The innovative way in which the Mucida lab approach science PROF NANCY HAIGWOOD AND COLLEAGUES, INCLUDING A/PROF HEIDI DRUMMER was refreshing, and encouraged (BURNET INSTITUTE), PROF MICHAEL BEARD (UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE), AND PROF young researchers to think about STEPHEN KENT (PETER DOHERTY INSTITUTE FOR INFECTION AND IMMUNITY AT THE immune function in a dynamic UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE), ENJOYING DINNER AT THE LORNE HOTEL DURING THE 7TH physiological context (something LORNE INFECTION AND IMMUNITY CONFERENCE (FEBRUARY 15TH – 17TH , 2017) under-appreciated when looking at flow plots and heat maps!).”

UPCOMING VISITING SPEAKERS FOR 2017 Adrian Liston (University of Leuven)

• 18 August Adelaide (University of Adelaide)

• 21 August Sydney (Garvan Institute)

• 23 August Melbourne (Monash)

• 24-25 August Victorian Annual Retreat

• 28 August Wellington (Malaghan Institute)

Lars Nitschke (Erlangen University)

• Visits between September and December (to be confirmed)

Cezmi Akdis (Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research)

• Visits in October to Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Newcastle and Wellington

23 BRANCH REPORTS ASI NEWSLETTER JUNE 2017

BRANCH REPORTS

SOUTH AUSTRALIA/ NEW ZEALAND IgV - VICTORIA NORTHERN TERRITORY RIES LANGLEY SCOTT MUELLER IAIN COMERFORD I am looking The beginning forward to the NZ Our next big ASI of 2017 brought Branch meeting event for SA/NT two ASI visiting which is to be will be the 13th speakers to held Christchurch Annual Adelaide Melbourne, (first time hosts) Immunology with more great from 3rd -5th July. Our AGM will Retreat (AIR-13) at speakers to come later in the be held during the meeting so the Vine Inn in the Barossa Valley. year. Professor Nancy Haigwood please submit agenda items to me Planning for the Retreat is well (Oregon Health and Science ([email protected]). underway and we are delighted University, Portland, Oregon, USA) that Su Heinzel will be joining us The Malaghan Institute of Medical spoke at the Doherty Institute as as out invited Interstate Speaker Research in Wellington hosted part of a combined Burnet/PDI and A/Prof David Lynn from Daniel Mucida (Rockefeller combined seminar on February SAHMRI will be our local speaker. University, New York) in March as 20th, followed by a Monash Health The retreat, which is aimed at part of the ASI Visiting Speaker Translation Precinct seminar on giving Early Career Researchers series. A/Prof. Mucida gave an February 21st. On March 16th, A/ (ECRs), PhD students, Honours enlightening seminar on intestinal Professor Daniel Mucida from students and Research Assistants intra-epithelial lymphocytes The Rockefeller University, New the opportunity to present their and their behaviour in response York spoke at WEHI and gave work and interact in a relaxed to infection. PhD student Kerry an engaging talk on immune environment, will be held from the Hilligan reported that the visit responses in the gut. 11th to the 12th August. A call for stimulated much scientific Kim Pharm and Gabi Khoury abstracts will be sent out by email discussion and was thoroughly report elsewhere in this issue on to all SA/NT ASI members in June. enjoyable. the fantastic Day of Immunology Please support this event if you NZ Branch members Joanna events that took place in are a supervisor by encouraging Kirman and Prof. Sarah Hook Melbourne this year. your students and staff to attend had an article published in the as it is a great opportunity for As we look towards the year Otago Daily Times recently Their them to give an oral presentation ahead, IgV will once again be informative piece highlighted the to their peers in a relaxed holding a Winter Seminar on June importance of vaccination to a environment. Another incentive is 23rd (venue TBA), and this year public who are increasingly basing that there are prizes for the Best we are very lucky to have Prof. their opinions on vaccination from Presentations. For queries or more Chris Goodnow (Garvan Institute) the internet and film. information, I can be contacted by headlining. In August, we will be email at iain.comerford@adelaide. See the Day of Immunology holding the annual IgV Reteat edu.au We look forward to seeing section in this Newsletter for (August 24-25) at Balgownie you there! See elsewere in this details on events held in NZ. Estate in the Yarra Valley, with an Newsletter for information about extensive line-up of international how the DOI was acknowledged and interstate speakers. Then we by the SA/NT branch of the ASI. will have the 2017 IgV Masterclass

24 BRANCH REPORTS ASI NEWSLETTER JUNE 2017 on October 13th at the Victorian QUEENSLAND Harvard University). The Comprehensive Cancer Centre conference committee (led by A/ SUMAIRA Z. HASNAIN (VCCC). More information on Prof. Antje Blumenthal and A/ speakers for these events and Prof. Kristen Radford) are looking SAVE THE DATE: registration will be announced forward to welcoming everyone in 10th-14th July soon. Brisbane. www.asi2017.org 2017 – Advanced Immunology VISITING SPEAKER PROGRAM Course QUEENSLAND WESTERN AUSTRALIA The University In February 2017, we hosted Prof. CONNIE JACKAMAN of Queensland-Diamantina Nancy Haigwood (Oregon Health Institute has been running a and Science University, Portland, SAVE THE DATES: Perth Immu- highly successful advanced Oregon, USA) at the Translational nology Group immunology course for the past Research Institute, Brisbane. (PIG) meeting three years. This year ASI will be Prof. Haigwood also visited the 16 & 17 Octo- providing 2 x ASI memberships to main campus of The University of ber, 2017, Flying the best students at this course. Queensland and QIMR Berghofer Squadron Yacht Registrations and applications will Medical Research Institute. Thank Club, Nedlands. be opening soon: www.di.uq.edu. you to Prof. Ranjeny Thomas, Invited national au/advanced-immunology-course Prof. Mark Kendall, Prof. Riccardo speakers coming to Perth include Dolcetti, Dr Ashraful Haque, Prof. A/Prof. Kate Schroder (Institute SAVE THE DATE: 27th November Michael McGuckin and Dr David for Molecular Biosciences, - 1st December 2017 – ASI 46th Harrich for hosting Prof. Haigwood University of Queensland) and Dr Annual Scientific Meeting during her visit. Nick Huntington (Walter and Eliza The organization of this year Hall Institute). All participants annual scientific meeting to be JOIN THE QUEENSLAND ASI will have opportunities to present held at the Brisbane Convention COMMITTEE their work in relevant themed and Exhibition Centre is well If you are an early career sessions and to network with our underway. We are delighted researcher and interested in invited guests and immunologists to confirm several high-calibre joining the Queensland ASI from Perth. A happy hour (or international and national committee please contact the Qld two) will also be included in the speakers including, Prof. Judith ASI Councillor sumaira.hasnain@ program and many prizes are on Allen, University of Manchester mater.uq.edu.au offer with registration/abstract and Prof. Richard Blumberg, submission details to come!

25 TRAVEL REPORTS ASI NEWSLETTER JUNE 2017

TRAVEL REPORTS

KEYSTONE SYMPOSIUM TUMOR IMMUNOLOGY Whistler, Canada KIRSTEN WARD HARTSTONGE, University of Otago, New Zealand

In March, I attended the Keystone was able to get an insight into conference: Tumour Immunology, what my Postdoc experience in Whistler. The conference was might be like. I would not have filled with inspiring presentations been able to attend a conference and conversations (plus some so far away from New Zealand great skiing). Garry Nolan without the generous funding presented some work from his from the Australasian Society for KIRSTEN SKIING IN WHISTLER BETWEEN lab exhibiting how epigenetic Immunology Travel Award. CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS. analysis can be incorporated into mass cytometry protocols for staining paraffin embedded tissue. This technique allows simultaneous detection of over 50 markers on human tissue. After the conference I travelled to San Francisco where I was lucky enough to visit Michael Angelo who collaborates with Nolan and designed the microscope that measures the immune infiltrates in • • paraffin embedded tissue.

I also visited Megan Levings’ laboratory at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. I spent the day with the Levings laboratory where I was able to meet all the members of the lab and learn about their groundbreaking research on human Tregs. This was a great experience as I was able to see how research is undertaken internationally and was able to discuss my work on Tregs in colorectal cancer with experts in the field.

As I am in my final year of my PhD, this trip was extremely valuable. I was able to visit laboratories where I am currently discussing Postdoctoral options. Meeting all the members of these labs was important to me, as I Sysmex Australia • 15 Talavera Rd • Macquarie Park • NSW • 2113 sysmexcmau

26 TRAVEL REPORTS ASI NEWSLETTER JUNE 2017

KEYSTONE SYMPOSIUM ON VIRAL IMMUNITY New Mexico, USA, February 2017 YEW ANN LEONG, Monash University, Victoria

As a recipient of an ASI post- symposium covered a very diverse graduate travel award, I was able range of research on immune to attend a Keystone Symposium response to viral infections on viral immunity that was held including innate and adaptive in New Mexico, USA for five immunity, with many novel days in February 2017. Unlike discoveries and presentation of other conferences, Keystone unpublished data. The symposium Symposia consist of meetings also included very current issues that focus on highly specialized such as Zika virus infection, as well research fields. The meeting was as cutting-edge advancements relatively small with around 200 on long-term problems such as attendees, and there was only the development of a universal one session per day without any influenza vaccine and cures concurrent sessions. This was for chronic viral infections. The a unique meeting experience symposium also showcased YEW ANN LEONG for me to learn cutting-edge novel research techniques and advances in specialized areas, technologies for in vitro research, and to participate in the intense in vivo animal models and my presentation, I have found discussions among the experts human clinical studies. I highly researchers who are willing to in the field. Fortunately, with recommend researchers from collaborate to further investigate very limited availability, my Australia to attend Keystone this area. I have achieved two abstract was selected for an Oral Symposia that are relevant to their most important purposes in Presentation in a workshop that research fields. attending a meeting – first, to focused on adaptive immune My oral presentation during the disseminate and receive feedback response to viral infection. I was symposium was scheduled in on my previous findings, and also awarded with one of the the session focused on chronic second, to foster collaboration for five scholarships provided by the infections. I presented my recently further studies. Keystone Symposia organizers to published original article in Nature subsidise part of the registration In addition to attending the Immunology involving a new fee and lodging cost. Together symposium, I also met with subset of CD8+ T cells that target with the support from the ASI my prospective postdoctorate the HIV and Epstein-Barr virus postgraduate travel award, I was supervisor at the University of (EBV) infection in B cell follicles. able to afford the expensive travel California, San Francisco. After My presentation was well received from Melbourne to New Mexico an interview and hour-long and stimulated interest and to disseminate my work to an discussion, he has agreed to discussion among the audience. audience who are highly regarded take me on as a postdoctoral Most importantly, because of in the field of viral immunity. fellow in his lab for the next three years to study the role of innate The symposium was organized by immunity on the modulation of Akiko Iwasaki, Daniel B Stetson obesity and metabolic diseases. and E John Wherry. It was This represents the transition of extremely well organized and each my research career to a higher session was put together in a well ground and again, represents thought out and coherent manner, one of the most fruitful outcomes which facilitated constructive from this trip. These would be discussions at the end of each impossible without the support presentation and session. The Unlike other conferences, from the Australasian Society discussions continued later on Keystone Symposia consist of for Immunology and for that I during the poster sessions as most meetings that focus on highly am grateful for receiving the oral presenters were also required specialized research fields. postgraduate travel award. to give poster presentations. The

27 TRAVEL REPORTS ASI NEWS JULY 2017

2017 FIMSA ADVANCED COURSE; Apart from illustrating the advancement of scientific 2017 INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON AUTOIMMUNITY knowledge by the faculty in China, 27 – 29 April 2017, Beijing, China these conferences provided an DELGERTSETSEG CHULUUNDORJ, Brain Research Laboratory, University eye-opening observation on how of the Humanities, Mongolia culture can influence the dynamics HUI-FERN KOAY GODFREY, Laboratory, of scientific meetings. Discussions Peter Doherty Institute, Melbourne with the locals come with added JONATHAN CHEE, School of Biomedical Sciences, layers of formality compared to University of Western Australia, Perth what we have been accustomed to. We appreciated the impressive hospitality extended by the Chinese Society of Immunology (CSI), and learnt that CSI itself boasts over 9000 members, and one can only imagine that using FIMSA as a platform to facilitate exchange between the immunological societies of Asia- Oceania would mean bigger and better things for all its members. The CSI/FIMSA committee concluded the symposium with FIMSA TRAVEL AWARD CEREMONY: FERN (2ND FROM LEFT), JONATHAN (6TH FROM LEFT) success and we all left looking AND DEGEE (8TH FROM LEFT) forward to more fruitful meetings in the future.

We were delighted to follicular helper cells, B regulatory We were also able to experience receive FIMSA (Federation of cells, NK cells, macrophages, and the extravagant capital city with Immunological Societies of Asia- cellular microparticles. highlights like the cuisine (Peking Oceania) travel awards to attend duck and other interesting tidbits The International Symposium their Advanced Immunology (see photo), the Forbidden on Autoimmunity followed, Course, and International Palace, Tiananmen Square, and with a focus on “Epigenomics Symposium on Autoimmunity, a hike on the Great Wall. We are and Beyond”. The talks that took place in Beijing from the honoured to receive this travel highlighted interplays between 27th to 29th April. The meeting award, and would like to sincerely gene regulations, epigenetics, was held at the renowned Peking thank our supervisors, mentors, and metabolic control in the Union Medical College Hospital in and our respective institutions. etiopathogenesis of autoimmune downtown Beijing, and we were We also express our gratitude to disorders such as SLE, RA, MS, honoured to represent ASI at this ASI, CSI and FIMSA for the award and T1D. A recurring point was meeting. and this opportunity. This award the sex-bias in most autoimmune and unique experience makes us Beijing is a city rich in history and disorders, and the substantial proud to be part of this wonderful culture that has evolved into a effort made into understanding modern, bustling megacity. The community. the epigenetic mechanisms of meeting aptly reflected this, as this bias. The need for preclinical we learnt not only the history and models that accurately reflect the advances made in autoimmunity, bias and pathology of autoimmune but also the groundbreaking diseases was also highlighted. therapeutic approaches. At the The take home message was Advanced Immunology Course, we an important reiteration that heard from a panel of distinguished autoimmunity is almost always a local and international speakers, multifactorial disorder rather than including ASI’s own Laura Mackay simplistically driven by genetics, and Alan Baxter. The speakers showcased their respective and this ultimately encouraged research in autoimmune participants to think globally whilst focused on their respective inflammation, thymic selection, LAURA (LEFT) AND FERN (RIGHT), WITH tissue resident memory T cells, T immunological niches. FERN’S INTERESTING CHOICE OF SNACK

28 PUBLICATIONS OF INTEREST ASI NEWS JULY 2017

PUBLICATIONS OF INTEREST OUR SUSTAINING MEMBERS

In situ programming of leukaemia-specific T cells using synthetic DNA nanocarriers doi:10.1038/nnano.2017.57

EasySep™ Mouse CD8+ T Cell Isolation Kit

Influenza vaccines differentially regulate the interferon response in human dendritic cell subsets doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaf9194.

EasySep™ Human Monocyte Enrichment Kit without CD16 Depletion

EasySep™ Human Pan-DC Pre-Enrichment Kit

Reactive oxygen species localization programs inflammation to clear microbes of different size doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2017.02.013

EasySep™ Mouse Neutrophil Enrichment Kit

EasySep™ Human Neutrophil Enrichment Kit

29 PUBLICATIONS OF INTEREST ASI NEWSLETTER JUNE 2017

Eraditcation of Tumors through Simultaenous Ablation of CD276/B7-H3-Positive Tumor Cells and Tumor Vasculature. Seaman S et al, Cancer Cell, April 2017

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ccell.2017.03.005

Anti-CD276 antibody

Anti-P Glycoprotein antibody

Rabbit IgG, Isotype Control

Loss of the Arp2/3 complex component ARPC1B causes platelet abnormalities and predisposes to inflammatory disease. Kahr WH et al Nature Communications, April 2017

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms14816

Anti-Arp2 antibody and Anti-Arp3 antibody

Chemotherapy drugs induce pyroptosis through caspase-3 cleavage of a Gasdermin. Wang et al, Nature May 2017

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature22393

Anti-Gasdermin-D antibody

30 AUSTRALASIAN SOCIETY FOR IMMUNOLOGY ASI NEWSLETTER JUNE 2017

ABOUT THE AUSTRALASIAN SOCIETY FOR IMMUNOLOGY

THE SOCIETY ASI COUNCIL IMMUNOLOGY IN AUSTRALASIA EXECUTIVE AND COUNCIL

The aim of the ASI is to encourage Executive and support the discipline of President - Su Heinzel heinzel@wehi.edu.au immunology in the Australasian Past President - Chris Goodnow [email protected] region. Secretary - Elissa Deenick [email protected] The Australasian Society for Immunology Incorporated (ASI) Treasurer - Kim Jacobson [email protected] was created by the amalgamation Deputy Treasurer - coming in 2018 in 1991 of the Australian Society for Immunology, formed in 1970, Voting Council and the New Zealand Society for NSW Councillor - Mainthan Palendira [email protected] Immunology, formed in 1975. It is a broadly based society, embracing SA/NT Councillor - Iain Comerford [email protected] clinical and experimental, cellular QLD Councillor - Sumaira Hasnain [email protected] and molecular immunology in humans and animals. The Society VIC/TAS Councillor - Scott Mueller [email protected] provides a network for the ACT Councillor - Ian Cockburn [email protected] exchange of information and for NZ Councillor - Ries Langley [email protected] collaboration within Australia, New Zealand and overseas. ASI WA Councillor - Connie Jackaman [email protected] members have been prominent in advancing biological and Non-voting council medical research worldwide. We Project Manager + Webmaster - Sarah Fardy [email protected] seek to encourage the study of Facebook + Twitter manager - Gabriela Khoury [email protected] immunology in Australia and New Zealand and are active in Newsletter Editor - Joanna Roberts [email protected] introducing young scientists to the IUIS Representative - Alejandro Lopez [email protected] discipline. ICB and CTI Editor - Anne La Flamme [email protected]

ASI Member Benefits include: FIMSA Representative - Laura Mackay [email protected]

• International Travel Awards Visiting Speaker Program - Jo Kirman [email protected]

• Bursaries to attend ASI’s Annual Women’s Initiative Co-ordinator - Vanessa Bryant [email protected] Meeting Meeting Co-ordinator - Meredith O’Keeffe [email protected] • New Investigator and Student DoI coordinator - Gabriela Khoury [email protected] Awards at ASI Annual Meeting Honorary Archivist - Judith Greer [email protected] • ASI Women’s Initiative to support female scientists 2017 LOC meeting chair - Kristen Radford [email protected]

• Special offers from ASI’s Sustaining Members The ASI membership directory, listing all financial members of • Full access to the journals the Society. is availalbe at http://www.immunology.org.au/asi- Immunology and Cell Biology, membership-directory/.T o join the ASI or renew your subscription, Nature Immunology, and Nature go to http://www.immunology.org.au/membership/ Reviews Immunology