Transplantation Research Immunology Group (TRIG)

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

Dr Fadi Issa, senior Post-doc, who won the prize for the best oral presentation at the NDS awayday on 19th January 2017.

Rebeca Arroyo, 2nd year DPhil student, who has won the Transplantation Society Mentor-Mentee Award for her talk entitled:  "CD45RA identifies TSDR demethylated regulatory T cells with stable phenotype and suppressive cytokine profile" at the 26th International Congress of Transplantation Society (August 2016).

Rebeca also won a travel grant from BIO-DrIM to attend the FOCIS European Advanced Course in Basic and Clinical Immunology (October 2016).

She has also presented a couple of posters recently  - "The role of CD27 in stability and suppressive function of human regulatory T cells" at the BSI/NVI Congress. (December 2016)

- "Identification of functionally stable and immunusuppression-resistant human regulatory T cells through CD45RA". FOCIS European Advanced Course n Basic and Clinical Immunology (October 2016).

Andrew Whatcott, Dr Matt Bottomley and Dr Sushma Shankar who all successfully defended their thesis in 2016.

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

Pint of Science ...... join us in the pub and find out about exceptional cells!

Pint of Science with NDS researchers and Kidney Research UK

Pint of Science is an annual event, run in the UK and across the world as an excellent opportunity to meet scientists in your local pub and discuss their latest findings.  This year two scientists from the TRIG, Dr Joanna Hester and Dr Kate Milward, have been invited by Kidney Research UK to share their research. 

Joanna and Kate will talk about an exciting new idea, regulatory T cell therapy in Transplantation, at the Pint of Science event on Monday 15 May from 7-9pm, at the George Street Social 35 New Inn Hall St, Oxford OX1 2DH.

To find out more go to the Pint of Science website using the button below .......

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