Defining molecular pathways of regulatory T cell-mediated oligodendrocyte differentiation and remyelination
Lead Research Organisation:
Queen's University Belfast
Department Name: Centre for Experimental Medicine
Abstract
The purpose of this project is to study how a natural regenerative process in the Central Nervous System (CNS) is influenced by the immune system and uncover changes that happen inside cells to accomplish this. Myelin is a fatty substance that wraps around long projections (axons) of nerves to allow rapid conduction of nerve signals and also plays a protective role for axons. Recent exciting discoveries have also shown that myelin 'feeds' nerves with metabolites that nerves use to make energy and this explains why disruption to myelin in disease or with age, can have such profound consequences for neurological functions such as memory, movement and sensation. Myelination, the process of sheathing axons with myelin, is a very active process early in life but continues well into later life. Cells called oligodendrocytes make this myelin in the CNS. Remyelination is a natural regenerative process that replaces damaged myelin but ageing impairs the efficiency of remyelination in the CNS which can lead to neurological impairment with age.
Traditionally it was thought that immune cells usually only entered the CNS during disease. However, in recent years we have learned a great deal about how the immune system supports a wide range of basic CNS functions. In particular, immune cells called T cells have been shown to support neurological functions such as learning, memory and CNS repair. Other immune cells have also been shown to support remyelination, however, little is known about the role of T cells in this process. There has been one study that showed that deficiency of T cells impairs remyelination. However, T cells comprise a wide range of different subsets, each of which exert different, and often opposing, effects. We have recently made exciting discoveries that one of these subsets called regulatory T cells (Treg) specifically boosts remyelination and this is accomplished in part by secreting factors that act on cells in the CNS called oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPC). These cells are similar to late stage stem cells - these cells are committed to becoming oligodendrocytes but are not yet capable of doing so. Our findings show that regulatory T cells can provide the signals to help these cells mature and wrap myelin around nerves.
However, we do not understand what changes Tregs trigger in OPCs to cause maturation. The goal of this study is to investigate what genes are switched on/off in OPCs and what messages are relayed inside OPC when Tregs communicate with OPCs. We will determine this by molecular profiling of OPCs that have been treated with Tregs compared to control OPCs. Once we have a shortlist of changes that Treg cause in OPC we will test the candidates in experimental models of remyelination to determine exactly which changes are responsible for the remyelination-enhancing effect of Tregs. These validation experiments will first be done in a new 3-D model of CNS remyelination consisting of thin slices of brain tissue in a dish that we have developed. Candidates validated in this model will then be tested in living mice undergoing remyelination. Using the model of brain tissue in a dish means we minimise the number of experiments on live animals
The outcomes of this study will include new knowledge of how the immune system, and Tregs in particular, influence remyelination in the CNS. We will learn about how Tregs and OPC interact and communicate with one another, an area of biology that is completely unknown. Another outcome of this study will be further development of our new model of immune cell- neural cell communication which can be adopted by a multitude of scientists study a range of topics in neuroscience and immunology. Knowledge from this project may be taken forward to identify strategies to preserve remyelination, and thus neurological function, during ageing and as such, this project holds potential to impact a very large proportion of society.
Traditionally it was thought that immune cells usually only entered the CNS during disease. However, in recent years we have learned a great deal about how the immune system supports a wide range of basic CNS functions. In particular, immune cells called T cells have been shown to support neurological functions such as learning, memory and CNS repair. Other immune cells have also been shown to support remyelination, however, little is known about the role of T cells in this process. There has been one study that showed that deficiency of T cells impairs remyelination. However, T cells comprise a wide range of different subsets, each of which exert different, and often opposing, effects. We have recently made exciting discoveries that one of these subsets called regulatory T cells (Treg) specifically boosts remyelination and this is accomplished in part by secreting factors that act on cells in the CNS called oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPC). These cells are similar to late stage stem cells - these cells are committed to becoming oligodendrocytes but are not yet capable of doing so. Our findings show that regulatory T cells can provide the signals to help these cells mature and wrap myelin around nerves.
However, we do not understand what changes Tregs trigger in OPCs to cause maturation. The goal of this study is to investigate what genes are switched on/off in OPCs and what messages are relayed inside OPC when Tregs communicate with OPCs. We will determine this by molecular profiling of OPCs that have been treated with Tregs compared to control OPCs. Once we have a shortlist of changes that Treg cause in OPC we will test the candidates in experimental models of remyelination to determine exactly which changes are responsible for the remyelination-enhancing effect of Tregs. These validation experiments will first be done in a new 3-D model of CNS remyelination consisting of thin slices of brain tissue in a dish that we have developed. Candidates validated in this model will then be tested in living mice undergoing remyelination. Using the model of brain tissue in a dish means we minimise the number of experiments on live animals
The outcomes of this study will include new knowledge of how the immune system, and Tregs in particular, influence remyelination in the CNS. We will learn about how Tregs and OPC interact and communicate with one another, an area of biology that is completely unknown. Another outcome of this study will be further development of our new model of immune cell- neural cell communication which can be adopted by a multitude of scientists study a range of topics in neuroscience and immunology. Knowledge from this project may be taken forward to identify strategies to preserve remyelination, and thus neurological function, during ageing and as such, this project holds potential to impact a very large proportion of society.
Technical Summary
In the Central Nervous System myelin insulates axons and provides metabolic support and protection. Myelin is produced by oligodendrocytes and is regenerated (remyelination) by these cells throughout life. Mature oligodendrocytes cells arise from a pool of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells that require cues to differentiate and produce myelin. Recently, an emerging role of immune signaling in promoting remyelination has gained significant attention. We have discovered that regulatory T cells promote remyelination by enhancing OPC differentiation to oligodendrocytes revealing a completely new role for Treg in the CNS and a novel source of differentiation cues for OPC. However, we have no knowledge of the intracellular signaling in OPC that is triggered by Treg to induce differentiation. This proposal seeks to address this gap in knowledge which will be accomplished through 4 specific aims: 1) transcriptomic profiling of Treg-primed OPC by microarray 2) molecular signaling analysis of Treg-primed OPC by phosphoflow and proteome profiler analysis 3) investigation of identified candidate molecular mediators during Treg-enhanced remyelination of organotypic brain slice cultures and 4) validation of the importance of novel molecular mediators of Treg-induced remyelination in vivo. These studies will uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying Treg-induced remyelination and provide new knowledge of neuroimmunological crosstalk in the CNS in health and disease.
Planned Impact
This research will impact a wide range of beneficiaries in academia, industry and the greater public.
My group frequently hosts visiting scientists from around the world and maintaining our research at the cutting-edge through this programme will ensure we can continue to attract such world experts to the UK and QUB. We also host visits by the public, patient support groups and school/university students to provide an insight to the workings of a research laboratory. This impacts the public's perception of research and serves to bolster support for public spending on research.
Age-related physiological decline is increasing in our ageing society, thus, it is imperative that we identify underlying causes of such decline if we are to minimise this deterioration and promote healthy ageing. This study is focused on the central nervous system and so, this work holds potential to impact people that will develop age-associated neurological impairment which can range from relatively minor impairments to severely debilitating motor, autonomic and cognitive impairments. As CNS remyelination declines with age we need identify strategies that can minimise such decline to main neurological function and preservation of a healthy functioning immune system may be one such strategy. Findings from this work may also inform future translational studies in neurological conditions of younger individuals also including patients with MS, ALS, depression and schizophrenia given recent discoveries of myelin dysfunction in these conditions.
While this is a project investigating a fundamental biological relationship between the immune and neural cells, new knowledge we generate may inform optimal immune status to promote and maintain efficient remyelination. If this is the case, our discoveries will contribute to informing policy, lifestyle and life-long treatment of individuals to maximise CNS-relevant immune function with advancing age. As such, this work may impact a large sector of the ageing population.
This work will also impact research scientists primarily in the fields of neuroscience, immunology and regenerative biology. The technology we have developed can be exploited by these and other fields. Our novel image analysis software already has, and will continue to be shared with the scientific community through publication and may be exploited by others for quantification of colocalisation of ambiguous structures in 3D. Our work will also impact researchers around the world through our 'Free to share software' page on our website where we make our novel image analysis plugins freely available.
The work also holds potential to impact industry through development of academic-industry partnership with IP generated. The University will also benefit in publicising the discovery research it will host in this work and through commercial exploitation. Indeed commercial exploitation of discoveries in this project holds potential to generate income and employment in the UK. In the immediate term, this project will direct employ 2 part time scientists and one full-time PDRA who will benefit greatly in terms of career development as well as support the experimental work of a PhD student that will be funded by the University. This project will also strengthen my group's collaboration with key opinion leaders in neuroscience nationally and internationally and grow our relationship with commercial entities. Enhancing the research training environment of my team will supply new graduates and postdoctoral fellows to expand the knowledge and skills of businesses, academia and organisations in Northern Ireland and further afield.
Finally, this research programme will provide stability, longevity and productivity to my consolidating laboratory and will reinforce the cutting-edge, collaborative neuroimmunology and regenerative research programmes we are developing in Northern Ireland.
My group frequently hosts visiting scientists from around the world and maintaining our research at the cutting-edge through this programme will ensure we can continue to attract such world experts to the UK and QUB. We also host visits by the public, patient support groups and school/university students to provide an insight to the workings of a research laboratory. This impacts the public's perception of research and serves to bolster support for public spending on research.
Age-related physiological decline is increasing in our ageing society, thus, it is imperative that we identify underlying causes of such decline if we are to minimise this deterioration and promote healthy ageing. This study is focused on the central nervous system and so, this work holds potential to impact people that will develop age-associated neurological impairment which can range from relatively minor impairments to severely debilitating motor, autonomic and cognitive impairments. As CNS remyelination declines with age we need identify strategies that can minimise such decline to main neurological function and preservation of a healthy functioning immune system may be one such strategy. Findings from this work may also inform future translational studies in neurological conditions of younger individuals also including patients with MS, ALS, depression and schizophrenia given recent discoveries of myelin dysfunction in these conditions.
While this is a project investigating a fundamental biological relationship between the immune and neural cells, new knowledge we generate may inform optimal immune status to promote and maintain efficient remyelination. If this is the case, our discoveries will contribute to informing policy, lifestyle and life-long treatment of individuals to maximise CNS-relevant immune function with advancing age. As such, this work may impact a large sector of the ageing population.
This work will also impact research scientists primarily in the fields of neuroscience, immunology and regenerative biology. The technology we have developed can be exploited by these and other fields. Our novel image analysis software already has, and will continue to be shared with the scientific community through publication and may be exploited by others for quantification of colocalisation of ambiguous structures in 3D. Our work will also impact researchers around the world through our 'Free to share software' page on our website where we make our novel image analysis plugins freely available.
The work also holds potential to impact industry through development of academic-industry partnership with IP generated. The University will also benefit in publicising the discovery research it will host in this work and through commercial exploitation. Indeed commercial exploitation of discoveries in this project holds potential to generate income and employment in the UK. In the immediate term, this project will direct employ 2 part time scientists and one full-time PDRA who will benefit greatly in terms of career development as well as support the experimental work of a PhD student that will be funded by the University. This project will also strengthen my group's collaboration with key opinion leaders in neuroscience nationally and internationally and grow our relationship with commercial entities. Enhancing the research training environment of my team will supply new graduates and postdoctoral fellows to expand the knowledge and skills of businesses, academia and organisations in Northern Ireland and further afield.
Finally, this research programme will provide stability, longevity and productivity to my consolidating laboratory and will reinforce the cutting-edge, collaborative neuroimmunology and regenerative research programmes we are developing in Northern Ireland.
People |
ORCID iD |
Denise Fitzgerald (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
De La Fuente AG
(2024)
Ageing impairs the regenerative capacity of regulatory T cells in mouse central nervous system remyelination.
in Nature communications
De La Vega Gallardo N
(2019)
Regenerating CNS myelin: Emerging roles of regulatory T cells and CCN proteins.
in Neurochemistry international
Dittmer M
(2018)
Characterization of a murine mixed neuron-glia model and cellular responses to regulatory T cell-derived factors.
in Molecular brain
Dombrowski Y
(2017)
Regulatory T cells promote myelin regeneration in the central nervous system
Dombrowski Y
(2017)
Regulatory T cells promote myelin regeneration in the central nervous system.
in Nature neuroscience
Evans FL
(2019)
Protective and Regenerative Roles of T Cells in Central Nervous System Disorders.
in Frontiers in immunology
MacKenzie G
(2021)
Research priorities for neuroimmunology: identifying the key research questions to be addressed by 2030.
in Wellcome open research
Madill M
(2016)
In vitro and ex vivo models of multiple sclerosis.
in Drug discovery today
McMurran CE
(2019)
The microbiota regulates murine inflammatory responses to toxin-induced CNS demyelination but has minimal impact on remyelination.
in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Description | Through this aware we have identified signaling pathways activated in oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPC) undergoiing accelerated differentiation in response to T cell products. We have also identified novel genes expressed in OPC in response to Treg signals and interestingly, a number of these genes have not been identified previously to be involved in oligodendrocyte differentiation. From these genes we have identified at least one novel protein involved in oligodendrocyte development that was not previously known to play a role in this process. |
Exploitation Route | Our findings will be published in peer-reviewed manuscript format and will inform the field of novel neuroimmune interactions as well as novel mediators of OPC development. |
Sectors | Education Healthcare |
Description | Arising from this work, we have been able to engage with a range of public audiences to discuss the type of research we do and how it can help support human health in the long term |
First Year Of Impact | 2018 |
Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy |
Impact Types | Societal |
Description | MS Society Efficient Clinical Trials Platform |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Description | MS Society Research Strategy Group |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Description | Establishing the novel ex-vivo focal demyelination model of Multiple Sclerosis in other laboratories to reduce and replace live animal use. |
Amount | £74,525 (GBP) |
Funding ID | NC/W000989/1 |
Organisation | National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2021 |
End | 08/2024 |
Description | Industry-Academia Collaboration |
Amount | £435,010 (GBP) |
Organisation | Sangamo Biosciences, Inc |
Sector | Private |
Country | United States |
Start | 03/2021 |
End | 04/2022 |
Description | Institutional Strategic Support Fund |
Amount | £600,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Wellcome Trust |
Department | Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Fund |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2017 |
End | 05/2022 |
Description | Mechanical induction and long-term stability of regulatory T cells in Multiple Sclerosis |
Amount | € 199,706 (EUR) |
Organisation | University of Galway |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | Ireland |
Start | 06/2022 |
End | 02/2024 |
Description | PhD Studentships |
Amount | £60,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2016 |
End | 09/2019 |
Description | Anna Williams |
Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
Department | Institute of Evolutionary Biology |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We designed and delivered the original project on which this collaboration was based. We continue to work together on other topics. |
Collaborator Contribution | Prof. Anna Williams provided expert advice and carried out experimental analyses within our project. She provided protocols for brain slice cultures, hosted a visiting PhD student and carried out electron microscopic analysis of samples generated in our lab. She continues to support our collaborative studies though advice and sharing of image analysis macros. |
Impact | Regulatory T cells promote myelin regeneration in the central nervous system. Dombrowski Y, et al. Nat Neurosci. 2017 Mar 13. doi: 10.1038/nn.4528. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | Fraser Sim |
Organisation | University at Buffalo |
Department | Department of Sociology |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We have generated experimental samples for RNASeq analysis by our collaborators. |
Collaborator Contribution | Fraser Sim has helped design experiments that we have conducted to generate samples for RNASeq analysis at his lab. We are in the process of sending these to his lab and he will run the RNAseq as well as the analysis on the resulting data to help us understand molecular changes induced by immune cells in progenitor cells. Update 2018: Dr. Sim has performed RNAseq and subsequent analysis to generate large datasets of novel gene targets in oligodendrocyte differentiation. These have been taken forward into validation studies in our lab. |
Impact | none yet |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Prof David Beech |
Organisation | University of Leeds |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We have collaborated with Prof Beech to determine the role of a novel receptor in oligodendrocte development, myelination and remyelination. |
Collaborator Contribution | Prof Beech provided guidance on experimental design and also provided mice for this study. |
Impact | Manuscript in preparation |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Robin Franklin |
Organisation | University of Cambridge |
Department | Department of Surgery |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We designed and delivered a project (Dombrowski et al. Nature Neuroscience 2017) that centrally involved this collaboration. We also contributed experimental data to a publication arising from the Franklin lab at Cambridge. Most recently, we published a joint original research paper from our labs (McMurran et al., PNAS, 2019) and a review article prior to that (McMurran et al. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2016) This is an ongoing collaboration. |
Collaborator Contribution | Prof. Robin Franklin provided expert advice and carried out experimental analyses as part of our collaboration in his lab. Prof. Franklin provided protocols, regular advice and hosting visiting scientists in his lab. His group performed in situ hybridisation studies on samples generated in our lab as part of a collaborative project and we provide reciprocal laboratory studies in collaborative projects. |
Impact | Regulatory T cells promote myelin regeneration in the central nervous system. Dombrowski Y, et al. Nat Neurosci. 2017 Mar 13. doi: 10.1038/nn.4528 Retinoid X receptor activation reverses age-related deficiencies in myelin debris phagocytosis and remyelination. Natrajan MS, de la Fuente AG, Crawford AH, Linehan E, Nuñez V, Johnson KR, Wu T, Fitzgerald DC, Ricote M, Bielekova B, Franklin RJ. Brain. 2015 Dec;138(Pt 12):3581-97. doi: 10.1093/brain/awv289. The microbiota regulates murine inflammatory responses to toxin-induced CNS demyelination but has minimal impact on remyelination. McMurran CE, Guzman de la Fuente A, Penalva R, Ben Menachem-Zidon O, Dombrowski Y, Falconer J, Gonzalez GA, Zhao C, Krause FN, Young AMH, Griffin JL, Jones CA, Hollins C, Heimesaat MM, Fitzgerald DC, Franklin RJM. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2019 Dec 10;116(50):25311-25321. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1905787116. Epub 2019 Nov 18. |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | Antrim Borough Support Group for MS and other Patients/Patient groups |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Patients, carers and/or patient groups |
Results and Impact | We regularly host visits to our research labs by from patient support groups, individual patients and supporters throughout the year. An example is a visit from the Antrim Borough Support Group for MS who have visited the laboratory to find out more about the MS research being undertaken. One of the group commented "We are also very grateful to the staff for taking the time to provide a breakdown of the processes involved, and especially in a manner that we could understand (well, almost). We witnessed the work of a highly motivated and committed team, and they are a credit to Denise and QUB." We have also hosted an MS Research Information Evening (2015) and we have delivered talks at outreach events organised by the UK MS Society. A donation of £2,000 was given to the research group. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014,2015,2016,2017,2018 |
Description | Lay talk Northern Ireland Science Festival |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | I gave a talk in the Northern Ireland Science Festival to a lay audience entitled 'Can we repair the brain' in a session called 'Diagnose me please, Treat my Disease' in Feb 2019. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | MS Research Information Evening and Open House/Lab 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, (2020 postponed) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Patients, carers and/or patient groups |
Results and Impact | Lay research talks from national and international researchers, Q+A session, tour of the lab to meet the team and see research in action at a number of stations. The 2020 event due to take place on 30/31 March 2020 has been postponed due to coronavirus outbreak. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015,2017,2018,2019 |
Description | NI Science Festival 2016 2017 2018 2019 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | We hosted a 'Brain' station at the recent 'Know Your Enemy' event on disease research at QUB that was part of the Northern Ireland Science Festival. We had major interest from the general public and many interested questions about our work. Some noted follow-up. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017,2018,2019 |
Description | Northern Ireland Science Festival |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | My group participated in the Northern Ireland Lab View 360 event held at the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine in Feb 2020. There was great interest and discussion from members of the public about the work we carry out in our research labs. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Public visits to the lab and research group |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | We routinely host visits by members of the public, people with MS and charitable donors. We provide a tour of the labs and the visitors meet our research team to hear about the work that we do. Generally this builds a strong rapport with the visitors and we often meet them again at future events we hold. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015,2016,2017,2018,2019,2020 |
Description | Public visits to the lab and research group - 2021 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Patients, carers and/or patient groups |
Results and Impact | Organisation and participation in a virtual NI MS Research Network Information Day which had the presence of international speakers and 73 attendees. Visits from patients and carers to the lab and research group. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Public visits to the lab and research group or to external support groups 2017-18 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | We regularly host visits by members of the public to our research lab. visitors tour the labs, hear about the work and techniques within the lab and meet members of the research team for a round table discussion and Q+A. Alternatively, members of my research team visit external support groups. From March 2017-Feb 2018 we hosted 7 such visits. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018 |
Description | Public visits to the lab and research group or to external support groups 2018-19 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | We regularly host visits by members of the public to our research lab. visitors tour the labs, hear about the work and techniques within the lab and meet members of the research team for a round table discussion and Q+A. Alternatively, members of our research team visit regional support groups. From March 2018-Feb 2019 we hosted 6 such visits. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018,2019 |
Description | REMERGE |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Regenerative Medicine Research Groups at QUB (REMERGE) was founded in 2013 and we have had annual conferences since then featuring speakers from around the world. Undergraduate and postgraduate students in particular have benefited from this event. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013,2014,2015,2016,2017,2018,2019 |
Description | Regular lab visits by members of the public 2019-20 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | We regularly host visits by members of the public to our research lab. visitors tour the labs, hear about the work and techniques within the lab and meet members of the research team for a round table discussion and Q+A. From March 2019-Feb 2020 we hosted 6 such visits. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019,2020 |
Description | Roundtable discussion at Santander Summer school |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I was a panellist at the 'New advances and challenges in multiple sclerosis', Summer Course in Santander, Spain in June 2019. This involved lively discussion between expert panellists and a Q+A session with attendees on the course whihc included clinicians, scientists, allied health professionals and trainees. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | School visit (Belfast Royal Academy) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Members of my team visited Belfast Royal Academy. They gave a one-hour seminar to approximately forty, year 14 Biology students on the career paths and the life of a PhD student and Research Fellow.They then explained how Multiple sclerosis affects patients and the work that is done in the research lab. All pupils were engaged and asked questions after the talk. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | School visit (Knock) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Members of my team visited Our Lady and St. Patrick's School, Knock. They gave a one-hour seminar to approximately forty, year 14 Biology students on the career paths and the life of a PhD student and Research Fellow.They then explained how Multiple sclerosis affects patients and the work that is done in the research lab. All pupils were engaged and asked questions after the talk. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Science Uncovered 2016 2017 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | My group hosted a stand at this event to explain out research and provide information about how the brain can sometimes repair itself. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017,2018 |
Description | Summer studentships |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | Approx 25 undergraduate students participated in a summer studentship research programme. The programme is designed to stimulate their interest in research, and develop skills which will enhance their undergraduate experience and give them skills which can be transferred to their future employment. Since 2015 I have participated solely as a host PI, prior to that I ran the programme in our Centre. 1 Student has returned to undertake an externally funded MRes project in the Fitzgerald lab. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017,2018 |