Transplantation Research Immunology Group (TRIG)

The Andrew Bushell Memorial Travel Fund Awards - First Awards Made

We offer many congratulations to Rebeca Arroyo Hornero and Jessica Padley who are the first two recipients of the Andrew Bushell Memorial Travel Fund Awards. 

Rebeca is in the last year of her DPhil programme studying a human cell population, named regulatory T cells, that play an important role in transplant tolerance, autoimmunity and cancer. Her research aims to identify new strategies to increase regulatory T cell potency in order to generate a more potent therapy for clinical use. In particular, Rebeca is studying how modulation of the CD27/CD70 pathway may allow for the generation of a purer regulatory T cell population with enhanced suppressive properties.

During her time as a DPhil student, she has attended several national and international conferences and has had the opportunity to present her research and to establish new collaborations.

Rebeca says "I am very grateful for the support from the Andrew Bushell Memorial Travel Fund that I have been awarded which will allow me to attend the European Congress of Immunology conference, making it possible to present and extend my research project. Being close to the end of my DPhil, conferences such as this will help me to expand my knowledge of novel directions for the next steps of my research career"

Jessica is a 5^th year medical student studying at Pembroke College Cambridge. She has always been fascinated by the immune system and what happens when its regulation goes wrong. Jessica read immunology alongside cancer & genetic diseases in the Department of Pathology and has explored the link between MHC presentation and ankylosing spondylitis in Dr Louise Boyles laboratory. Currently, her main research interest looks at immunogenetics and its link to renal transplant rejection and BK virus reactivation within the Clatworthy laboratory.

Jessica hopes to gain a place on the academic foundation training programme. She is passionate about research and improving care for patients.  She aspires to become a nephrologist and to continue her research into the immunology of renal transplants.  Jessica will use her award to attend the BTS conference where she has had a poster accepted.

Congratulations to ...........

Rebeca Arroyo Hornero who has been awarded two prizes in April 2018; the "750 Prize in
the Sciences" from Balliol College. These prizes for graduate students were established through the
generosity of a Balliol Old Member to commemorate the 750th anniversary of the College.  Rebeca also won the 1st prize at the Oxford Immunology Symposium.  She won both prizes for her poster "Co-stimulatory modulation of human regulatory T cells for enhanced immunotherapy".

Prateek Katti, who won "Best Oral Presentation" at the NDS Awayday on 1st February 2018 for his presentation.

Rebeca Arroyo Hornero who was awarded the first travel award from the Andrew Bushell Memorial Travel Fund - Rebeca will use the travel funds to attend the 5th European Congress of Immunology and has submitted an abstract entitled:  “Co-stimulatory modulation of human regulatory T cells for enhanced immunotherapy”

Monica Dolton who won the "NDS Employee of the Year" award in February 2018.

The TWO Study

A multi-disciplinary team led by TRIG has been awarded a grant of c£2.5m to undertake a pioneering clinical trial of cellular therapy in renal transplantation. The TWO Study  aims to assess the feasibility of reducing immunosuppression in renal transplant recipients with the use of regulatory T cells (Treg). The trial will be led by  Dr Fadi Issa (PI), Dr Paul Harden (Co-PI & Clinical Lead), Professor Peter Friend (Chief Investigator) and Dr Joanna Hester (Immune Biology Lead), together with Professor Giovanna Lombardi of King’s College London, senior researchers from TRIG, the Oxford Transplant Centre, the University’s Surgical Trials Intervention Unit, Oxford University Innovation, and the BRC GMP facility at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.

The trial aims to recruit 68 patients over a three-year period, with those receiving the cellular therapy donating a unit of blood for isolation of Tregs. Isolated Treg will then be expanded in a purpose-built GMP facility at Guy's Hospital in London.  The function of kidney transplants will be assessed and the amount of drug-based immunosuppression reduced accordingly. Patients will be closely monitored and potential early markers of improved immune function will be determined using advanced assessment techniques.

For more information about the project please contact Monica Dolton, Project Manager monica.dolton@nds.ox.ac.uk

TRIG NEWS

Dr Andrew Bushell -  Travel Award Fund Launched in Memory of Andrew's Contribution to Research

As some of you already know, Andrew Bushell passed away in December 2016 after a period of illness. He made so many contributions to the field of transplantation and, of course, to the Wood Lab/TRIG over the 33 years that he was in the group and is fondly remembered by his friends and colleagues.

We have decided that the very best way to celebrate Andrew’s career and all of his contributions to the success of the Wood Lab/TRIG is by setting up a travel fund to help provide travel bursaries for graduate students and early career researchers to attend meetings.   It is getting harder and harder to find funds to send  researchers  to meetings so that they can gain the invaluable experience of presenting their work to an international audience.  Andrew was passionate about educating and training young scientists. He put his heart into making sure that all of his graduate students did their very best work and Andrew was very proud of the achievements of all of the students and fellows that have been members of the Wood Lab/TRIG over the years. 

The University of Oxford Development Office have kindly agreed to support this initiative and host a webpage where donations can be made.  Our initial target would be to fund at least two Andrew Bushell Travel Bursaries per year of the order of £700 - £1000 each per year for 5 years.   We therefore have an initial target of £10,000.  

If you would like to remember Andrew in this way please follow the link below.

www.campaign.ox.ac.uk/bushell-memorial-travel

 If you would like any further information about how the fund will work, please contact Monica Dolton:  monica.dolton@nds.ox.ac.uk