King's Health Partners Confidence in Concept
Lead Research Organisation:
King's College London
Department Name: UNLISTED
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Technical Summary
The Confidence in Concept scheme is a key part of MRC’s translational research strategy and provides annual awards to institutions, to be used flexibly to support the earliest stages of multiple translational research projects. The award can be used by the institution to support a number of preliminary-stage translational projects. The projects supported should aim to provide sufficient preliminary data to establish the viability of an approach –– before seeking more substantive funding. It is intended to accelerate the transition from discovery research to translational development projects by supporting preliminary work or feasibility studies to establish the viability of an approach.
Organisations
- King's College London (Lead Research Organisation)
- Francis Crick Institute (Collaboration)
- HARVARD UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- LEUCID BIO LTD (Collaboration)
- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company (Collaboration)
- National Brain Research Centre, India (Collaboration)
- AstraZeneca (Collaboration)
- QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON (Collaboration)
- Rheacell (Collaboration)
- Bayer (Collaboration)
- United Kingdom Research and Innovation (Collaboration)
- Mahidol University (Collaboration)
- Apollo Therapeutics (Collaboration)
- Accretion Biotechnology Ltd (Collaboration)
- St Johns Research Institute (Collaboration)
- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) (Collaboration)
- KING'S COLLEGE LONDON (Collaboration)
People |
ORCID iD |
Robert Lechler (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Abdollah MRA
(2018)
Fucoidan Prolongs the Circulation Time of Dextran-Coated Iron Oxide Nanoparticles.
in ACS nano
Ajina A
(2017)
Prospects for combined use of oncolytic viruses and CAR T-cells.
in Journal for immunotherapy of cancer
Alaeikhanehshir S
(2020)
The impact of patient characteristics and lifestyle factors on the risk of an ipsilateral event after a primary DCIS: A systematic review.
in Breast (Edinburgh, Scotland)
Alexander J
(2021)
SARS-CoV-2 vaccination for patients with inflammatory bowel disease - Authors' reply
in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Alexander JL
(2021)
SARS-CoV-2 vaccination for patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a British Society of Gastroenterology Inflammatory Bowel Disease section and IBD Clinical Research Group position statement.
in The lancet. Gastroenterology & hepatology
Alexander JL
(2021)
Third doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in immunosuppressed patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
in The lancet. Gastroenterology & hepatology
Alexander JL
(2021)
SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in immunosuppressed patients with inflammatory bowel disease: should our approach change?
in The lancet. Gastroenterology & hepatology
Alexander JL
(2021)
Clinical outcomes of patients with corticosteroid refractory immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced enterocolitis treated with infliximab.
in Journal for immunotherapy of cancer
Alexander JL
(2022)
COVID-19 vaccine-induced antibody responses in immunosuppressed patients with inflammatory bowel disease (VIP): a multicentre, prospective, case-control study.
in The lancet. Gastroenterology & hepatology
Alhabbab R
(2018)
Galectin-1 is required for the regulatory function of B cells.
in Scientific reports
Description | Appointment as Policy Officer to the Genetics Society |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
URL | http://www.genetics.org.uk/mission-and-priorities/committee-members/ |
Description | Invitation to participate in a DSTL run Synthetic Biology Workshop |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Description | A Chemoenzymatic Approach to Late Stage Functionalisation of Peptide Antibiotics |
Amount | £10,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | E21-2982458970 |
Organisation | Royal Society of Chemistry |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2021 |
End | 09/2022 |
Description | Biomarker discovery in pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas to identify disease severity and progression |
Amount | £20,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Bernice Bibby Research Trust |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2018 |
End | 11/2021 |
Description | Biomarker discovery in pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas to identify disease severity and progression |
Amount | £21,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Bernice Bibby Research Trust |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2021 |
End | 12/2023 |
Description | Biotherapeutics Drug Discovery project |
Amount | £224,404 (GBP) |
Organisation | Cancer Research UK |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2016 |
End | 11/2018 |
Description | CARDINNATE: Variation in innate immune activation and cardiovascular disease risk as drivers of COVID19 outcome in South Asians in UK and India |
Amount | £1,010,487 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/V040162/1 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2021 |
End | 02/2024 |
Description | CONACYT (mexican government) fully funded PhD studentship |
Amount | £45,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | National Council on Science and Technology (CONACYT) |
Sector | Public |
Country | Mexico |
Start | 09/2016 |
End | 10/2019 |
Description | Cellular and sub-cellular sampling using laser capture microdissection to understand disease mechanisms |
Amount | £352,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 212917/Z/18/Z |
Organisation | Wellcome Trust |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2019 |
End | 10/2022 |
Description | Confidence in Collaboration in Advanced Therapies Award |
Amount | £99,151 (GBP) |
Organisation | United Kingdom Research and Innovation |
Department | Research England |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2020 |
End | 06/2021 |
Description | Crick-KCL PhD studentship (Joint program) |
Amount | £50,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | King's College London |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2017 |
End | 09/2021 |
Description | Developing advanced CAR-T cell-based immunotherapies to improve the outcome of patients with pancreatic cancer |
Amount | £1,000,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 2017GrandChallengeAward |
Organisation | Pancreatic Cancer UK |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2017 |
End | 07/2020 |
Description | Drug Discovery Committee - Biotherapeutics Drug Discovery Project Award |
Amount | £69,477 (GBP) |
Funding ID | C11499/A21623 |
Organisation | Cancer Research UK |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2016 |
End | 08/2019 |
Description | Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation scheme- currently at the contracting stage with NIHR; so final grant amount subject to adjustment. |
Amount | £1,765,128 (GBP) |
Organisation | NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre (NETSCC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 07/2018 |
End | 04/2023 |
Description | Engineering avb6-targeted fourth generation chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells for immunotherapy of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma |
Amount | £224,403 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 21623 |
Organisation | Cancer Research UK |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2016 |
End | 01/2020 |
Description | European Haematological Society |
Amount | € 12,000 (EUR) |
Organisation | European Hematology Association (EHA) |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | Netherlands |
Start | 09/2017 |
End | 02/2018 |
Description | GE Healthcare Studentship |
Amount | £48,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | GE Healthcare Limited |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | Generation of novel tools for the study and development of targeted therapeutic approaches for pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma |
Amount | £450,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Paradifference Foundation |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | Sweden |
Start | 07/2021 |
End | 07/2024 |
Description | Genetic analysis to identify biomarkers in pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma |
Amount | £10,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Kings BRC |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2017 |
End | 04/2018 |
Description | Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) PhD studentship |
Amount | £40,114 (GBP) |
Organisation | King's College London |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2015 |
End | 09/2019 |
Description | Identification of therapeutic targets in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms |
Amount | £10,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | King's College London |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2018 |
End | 12/2019 |
Description | Identifying hypoxia-mediated effects on breast cancer invasion in vivo. |
Amount | £26,860 (GBP) |
Organisation | Breast Cancer Now |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2016 |
End | 04/2017 |
Description | Integrating Imaging into Immunotherapy - Developing PET traceable CAR T-cells. |
Amount | £170,479 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 16-1135 |
Organisation | Worldwide Cancer Research |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2016 |
End | 08/2018 |
Description | Integrating medical imaging into cancer immunotherapy: Development of clinically traceable CAR and GammaDelta T-cells |
Amount | £501,608 (GBP) |
Funding ID | A21153 |
Organisation | Cancer Research UK |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2016 |
End | 10/2020 |
Description | KHP Challenge Fund |
Amount | £54,064 (GBP) |
Organisation | King's College London |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2020 |
End | 08/2021 |
Description | King's College London CDT in Chemistry for a Healthy and Sustainable Society |
Amount | £78,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | King's College London |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2021 |
End | 01/2025 |
Description | King's Health Partners Confidence in Concept - MC_PC_14105 'Identification of rare variants that predispose to lobular breast carcinoma' |
Amount | £50,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | King's Health Partners Confidence in Concept - MC_PC_14105 'Identification of rare variants that predispose to lobular breast carcinoma' |
Organisation | King’s Health Partners |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2015 |
End | 06/2016 |
Description | LiDo BBSRC DTP rotation student |
Amount | £6,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2019 |
End | 07/2020 |
Description | London Medical Imaging & Artificial Intelligence Centre for Value-Based Healthcare |
Amount | £9,985,272 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 104691 |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2019 |
End | 01/2022 |
Description | MRC Clinical research training Fellowship to Dr Musa Sami (PhD student) |
Amount | £246,419 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/P001408/1 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 07/2016 |
End | 07/2019 |
Description | MRC Discovery Award |
Amount | £1,000,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MC_PC_15068 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2016 |
Description | MRC impact acceleration award |
Amount | £79,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | King's College London |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2024 |
End | 03/2025 |
Description | Molecular Genetics of Lobular Breast Cancer in a South African cohort and effect of HIV infection. |
Amount | £202,436 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/S014268/1 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2018 |
End | 11/2020 |
Description | Multidisciplinary Project Award Application Title: Integrating medical imaging into cancer immunotherapy: Development of clinically traceable CAR and GammaDelta T-cells |
Amount | £501,608 (GBP) |
Funding ID | C48390/A21153 |
Organisation | Cancer Research UK |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2016 |
End | 12/2018 |
Description | PhD studentship |
Amount | £120,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | King's College London |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2024 |
End | 09/2028 |
Description | Predicting metastatic potential in PPGL syndrome patients |
Amount | £10,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Association for Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Disorders |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2021 |
End | 03/2022 |
Description | Prevent Ductal Carcinoma in Situ Invasive Overtreatment Now - PRECISION |
Amount | £3,445,326 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 25272 |
Organisation | Cancer Research UK |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2017 |
End | 04/2024 |
Description | Prevention of chronic respiratory morbidity following premature birth |
Amount | £62,299 (GBP) |
Organisation | King's College London |
Department | Kings Health Partners Challenge Fund |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | Response Mode Project Grant |
Amount | £576,418 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/R008264/1 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2018 |
End | 04/2021 |
Description | SRA with GammDelta Therapeutics |
Amount | £762,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | GammaDelta Therapeutics Ltd |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 07/2016 |
End | 08/2018 |
Description | Sustainability seed award |
Amount | £40,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | King's College London |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2024 |
End | 10/2024 |
Description | TAP |
Amount | £239,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 2014NovTAP379 |
Organisation | Breast Cancer Campaign (BCC) |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2016 |
End | 12/2019 |
Description | Targeting senescence to prevent, alleviate or delay multiple chronic age-related diseases |
Amount | £100,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | King's College London |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2020 |
End | 12/2021 |
Description | The Resilient Brain. Imaging Biomarkers of Brain Metabolic Reserve |
Amount | £452,468 (GBP) |
Funding ID | BB/N009088/1 |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2016 |
End | 11/2019 |
Description | The Resilient Brain. Imaging Biomarkers of Brain Metabolic Reserve |
Amount | £452,468 (GBP) |
Funding ID | BB/N009088/1 |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2016 |
End | 11/2019 |
Description | The relation of cerebral oxygen delivery to brain dysmaturation and damage in infants with congenital heart disease |
Amount | £211,718 (GBP) |
Funding ID | FS/15/55/31649 |
Organisation | British Heart Foundation (BHF) |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2015 |
End | 09/2018 |
Description | Translational award (Thymus derived Tregs expanded in vitro as a treatment for paediatric heart transplant patients to prevent cardiac allograft vasculopathy) |
Amount | £230,158 (GBP) |
Funding ID | TG/16/2/32657 |
Organisation | British Heart Foundation (BHF) |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2017 |
End | 12/2018 |
Description | Using multi-omic data for neuroendocrine cancer diagnostics and metastatic predictions |
Amount | £55,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) |
Sector | Private |
Country | Global |
Start | 09/2020 |
End | 04/2024 |
Description | Wellcome EPSRC Centre for Medical Engineering |
Amount | £6,165,151 (GBP) |
Funding ID | NS/A000049/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2017 |
End | 04/2022 |
Title | CRISPR knock out human fibroblast cell lines |
Description | We have established CRISPR plasmids to allow us to knock out specific genes or interest in human fibroblast cell lines. We have identified specific cross talk between human dermal fibroblasts and tissue resident gamma delta T cells. We undertook several experiments ruling out classic checkpoint control molecules such as B7 like molecules, CTLA4, LAG3, TIM3 for which staining and blocking reagents are available. As none of these candidates showed any influence on gamma delta T cell biology, we required CRISPR technology to knock out specific proteins of interest, such as newly emerging immunosuppressive molecules such as TIGIT-PVR. To date we have established CRISPR and applied it to generate 3 different human fibroblast knock out lines which we are currently testing in co cultures with stimulated human tissue derived gamma delta T cells. |
Type Of Material | Cell line |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | As counterparts for human gamma delta T cells do not directly exist in mice we need strong ex-vivo/in vitro assays to study gamma delta T cell behaviour closely resembling the in-situ situation. We have previously established a co culture of human fibroblast lines and tissue derived gamma delta T cells showing that in direct contact with dermal fibroblasts, gamma delta T cells remain inactive and display a similar phenotype to those directly isolated from tissue. With the use of CRISPR we can now manipulate single proteins, hopefully identifying molecules involved in tissue homoeostasis and checkpoint control inhibition that are not yet known with possible direct implications for translational science and immunotherapy. |
Title | Enhanced cytokine mediated gamma delta T cell expansion |
Description | We have previously identified mechanisms of tissue damage and dissociation which cause downstream activation of tissue resident gamma delta T cells. This allows for the first time for the isolation and expansion of human tissue resident gamma delta T cells. As part of this grant proposal we aimed to optimise the expansion of gamma delta T cells by testing 20 different chemokines, cytokines and growth factors to support and co stimulate gamma delta T cell expansion. Whilst extensive testing is still undergoing we have identified two candidate cytokines so far which support gamma delta T cell growth specifically, allowing for even greater expansion of these cells than we initially achieved with the support of IL-2 only. We are confident that via additional combinations of additional cytokines we can boost this effect even further reaching large scale expansion suitable for clinical application. Currently we are able to expand up to 10 to the 8 tissue derived gamma delta T cells per donor. Once the ideal cocktail has been identified, we aim to test these conditions in growth media supplemented with human serum, and ideally in serum free conditions, in appropriate culture systems, preparing the ground for GMP concordant expansion of tissue derive gamma delta T cells. |
Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | There is great interest from research groups and industry to use human gamma delta T cells for adaptive immunotherapy as well as CAR T cell technology. Our newly developed and optimised protocols allow, for the first time, the expansion of tissue derived gamma delta T cells to clinically relevant numbers. This in vitro expansion system will also allow us to further explore the biology of these cells enabling us to identify ligands for these unconventional T cells - which are MHC unrestricted and do not recognise peptide antigens. This will generate vast interest in the immunological research community, and may ultimately lead to the development of a novel tissue derived gamma delta T cell check point therapy. |
Title | Isolation and identification of fibroblast derived gamma delta interacting proteins |
Description | Method 1: By isolating cell surface proteins from HFF cells and performing an IP using whole primary gamma delta 1 T cells, before performing a series of elutions, we will isolate proteins which interact with gamma deltas in a physiologically relevant manner. These proteins will then be sent for mass spec. analysis. The resulting qualitative and quantitative data will inform our choice of check point candidate. Method 2: By crosslinking and isolating the cell surface proteome of gamma delta 1 T cells we will IP the CD3 TCR complex using an anti CD3zeta antibody. This will be used as a probe to futher IP the interacting protein from the HFF cell surface proteome isolate. The protein of interest will be sent for mass spec. analysis, with the resulting data informing us of the TCR interacting protein(s). |
Type Of Material | Biological samples |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | One of the aims of this work is to to identify a novel checkpoint for gamma delta 1s. The observation that the interaction between delta 1 s and fibroblasts inhibits expansion / activation suggests such a checkpoint exists in this system. Inhibition of this 'de-activation' may be beneficial for anti-cancer immunotherapeutic techniques involving these cells, in a similar manner to PD1 or CTLA4. |
Title | Purification and Expansion of Explanted thymic T-regs |
Description | We have already obtained thymic tissues taken from two children undergoing cardiac surgery. We have characterised the T cell composition of these samples and have purified Tregs by fluorescence activated cell sorting using established strategies applied to peripheral blood Tregs (CD4, CD25 and CD127). Thymic Tregs were then expanded polyclonally. Additionally, sorted Treg populations have also been preserved to analyse TSDR methylation status (a measure of FOXP3 stability) and TCR diversity using RNAseq approaches. |
Type Of Material | Cell line |
Year Produced | 2015 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Development of a potential clinical application for heart transplantation. |
Title | Viral CAR::Reporter plasmid for preclinical dual-mode in vivo imaging |
Description | A new plasmid DNA was created to enable virus-mediated genetic engineering of primary human T-cells to express a chimeric antigen receptor together with a radionuclide-fluorescence dual-mode reporter gene; the latter is intended for in vivo tracking of engineered cellular therapeutics (in preclinical models) |
Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | This tool enables in vivo cell tracking of all CAR T-cell therapeutics by radionuclide-fluorescence imaging in preclinical in vivo models. It contributes to the development of such therapeutics. |
Description | Bayer |
Organisation | Bayer |
Department | Bayer HealthCare |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | We are working with Bayer HC to develop adoptive immunotherapeutic strategies for triple negative breast cancer using ex-vivo expanded gamma delta T-cells. |
Collaborator Contribution | Bayer HC have provided know how and input into several aspects of the project, notably microarray analysis of expanded cells. |
Impact | Grant funding has been achieved. |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | CARDINNATE |
Organisation | St Johns Research Institute |
Country | India |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | KCL/SJRI partnership grant from MRC/DBT (Hayday, Shah, Neil PIs) to assess comparative immunopathogenesis of COVID19 between UK and India My lab studies differences in innate immune activation and and antiviral responses in exposed healthy indivdials and those hospitlized with breakthrough infections. |
Collaborator Contribution | SJRI-based researchers recruit and immunophenotype peripheral blood immune cells from Indian samples for overall multiparametric analyses. |
Impact | none yet |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Chemoenzymatic |
Organisation | King's College London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We have begun a collaboration with Daniele Castagnolo a former Kings academic now a UCL academic on bacterial enzymes towards developing biocatalysts. Our input is on the molecular biology/protein side particularly in investigating and understanding the enzymes (e.g. structure, function and substarte interactions) we have trained researchers from the Castagnolo lab in moelcular biology and the production and characterisation of proteins as well as enzymology. This is now very much highly effective partnership and we expect to produce several outputs in the near future. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Castagnolo lab is has expertise in develoing biocatalytic reactions and has been helpful in helping us develop ideas in this space and engaging with industrial partners to develop these reactions and drive the chemical application of the enzymes. Currently we are partnered with GSK and ALMAC |
Impact | We recently hosted a BBSRC LiDo rotation student in our labs. (reported in funding section) This project now has a full BBSRC Lido student (see funding section) A GSK funded iCASE award (see funding section) A Marie Curie Fellowship (see funding section) The collabroation is multidisciplinary as it integrates synthetic chemistry, analytical chemistry, molecular microbiology and protein biochemistry |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Co-Sponsor, Wellcome Trust. Clinical Research Career Development Fellowship to Sasha Howard "Disorders of human pubertal timing". |
Organisation | Queen Mary University of London |
Department | William Harvey Research Institute |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I co-sponsored this clinical fellow by providing expertise in epigenetics and epigenomics and helped her write this part of her fellowship which was successfully funded in 2020. |
Collaborator Contribution | The partner is the lead PI and clinical fellow who generated the preliminary data and designed the project to which I contributed. |
Impact | Funded fellowship will start April 2021. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Collaboration with Accretion biotechnology Ltd |
Organisation | Accretion Biotechnology Ltd |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | We are in the process of collecting data to provide information on whether the tracer can be used to evaluate response of prostate cancer to chemotherapy in a mouse model. It is hoped that this will provide pre-clinical data for a clinical trial which will facilitate marketing of the tracer for clinical use for response to therapy. Additionally, Prof. Philip Blower (Co-investigator) is the primary supervisor of the PhD student supported by the collaborator. The research team have demonstrated that the tracer accumulates specifically in PSMA positive prostate cancer xenografts. |
Collaborator Contribution | Accretion Biotechnology have licensed the KCL Patent for 68Ga-CP256-PSMA in return for providing a Gallium generator, funding a PhD student, milestone payments and building a commercial network to facilitate product development, manufacture and marketing of the tracer. |
Impact | The collaboration is multidisciplinary: KCL provides: Biologist, chemists, clinical scientists Accretion Biotechnology provide: Business development |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Collaboration with AstraZeneca |
Organisation | AstraZeneca |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Expertise and intellectual input on novel imaging methods to develop and evaluate the novel nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems developed by the company |
Collaborator Contribution | In kind contribution of novel drug delivery systems and nanomedicines, expertise and intellectual inpout on these systems, access to facilities |
Impact | None yet |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Collaboration with AstraZeneca |
Organisation | AstraZeneca |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Expertise and intellectual input on novel imaging methods to develop and evaluate the novel nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems developed by the company |
Collaborator Contribution | In kind contribution of novel drug delivery systems and nanomedicines, expertise and intellectual inpout on these systems, access to facilities |
Impact | None yet |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Collaboration with Leucid |
Organisation | Leucid Bio Ltd |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Explore CAR T cell radiolabelling and tracking using PET imaging. Preclinical Imaging/therapy studies. |
Collaborator Contribution | CAR T cells and knowledge about their biology and clinical applications. |
Impact | Conference abstract EMIM 2024 |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Collaboration with NBRC, India |
Organisation | National Brain Research Centre, India |
Country | India |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Applied for funding to host a postdoctoral fellow funded by the Newton International fellowship scheme of the Academy of Medical Sciences, UK. |
Collaborator Contribution | Contributed to the funding application and identified the postdoctoral fellow. |
Impact | No outputs yet |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Collaboration with Rheacell |
Organisation | Rheacell |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | MSC cell radiolabelling using 89Zr-oxine |
Collaborator Contribution | MSC cell samples and knowledge about MSC biology and clinical applications |
Impact | Conference abstract EMIM 2024 |
Start Year | 2023 |
Description | Exploiting cancer-specific perturbations of the chromatin complex network leading to dependencies and vulnerabilities that are actionable in therapy |
Organisation | Francis Crick Institute |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Joint PhD student between Francesca Ciccarelli's group at the Crick and my group. My group provides the epigenetics component of the project and wet lab provision. |
Collaborator Contribution | Francesca Ciccarelli's group steers the computational supervision of the PhD student and cancer biology training. |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary between epigenomics and bioinformatics. New collaboration, no outputs yet. |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | GSK funded PhD studentship in partnership with the GSTT-BRC |
Organisation | GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) |
Country | Global |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Preliminary data from my research group was presented as a project in the DRIVE-Health CDT and GSK showed interest in it and funded half a PhD studentship for 3.45 years. |
Collaborator Contribution | My collaborators Cynthia Andoniadou and Louise Izatt made intellectual contributions to the formation of the PhD project design |
Impact | Funded PhD studentship began October 2020. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Genotype-to-phenotype pt and pt 2 |
Organisation | United Kingdom Research and Innovation |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | My lab currently studies the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in persistent infections, the evasion of innate immunity, and interaction with myeloid cells. 2 papers (Winstone et al (2020), Lista, Winstone et al (2022)), one MS in revision, one MS in preparation. |
Collaborator Contribution | This is a pan UK institution consortium studying the biology and emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern 40+ papers include members of this consortium. |
Impact | see above |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Jak2V617F Mice |
Organisation | Harvard University |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | PhD student undertook a 3 month laboratory stay in Boston at Harvard University to study the effect of hydroxycarbamide on DNA methylation and gene expression to match the human study undertaken at KCL. The subsequent data analysis was performed at KCL. |
Collaborator Contribution | Dr Ann Mullally provided a 3-month research placement for a PhD student plus access to the Jak2V617F mouse model which is a model for the human disorders essential thrombocythemia and polycythemia vera. |
Impact | The effect of hydroxycarbamide treatment on DNA methylation and gene expression in essential thrombocythemia and polycythemia vera: a cross-species study Stephania Contreras-Castillo1, Bertille Montibus1, Azucena Rocha2, Will Duke2, Ferdinand von Meyenn1,a, Donal McLornan3, Claire Harrison3, Ann Mullally2, Reiner Schulz1 & Rebecca J. Oakey1*. Submitted to Blood 2020. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Paradifference Foundation: Project grant. PI: C Andoniadou, Co-I: R Oakey. |
Organisation | King's College London |
Department | Dental Institute |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I co-designed and co-wrote an application to the Paradifference Foundation using preliminary data from my lab and the grant was funded |
Collaborator Contribution | Cynthia Andoniadou co-designed and co-wrote the application to the Paradifference Foundation using preliminary data from her lab and the grant was funded £450000 |
Impact | Funded grant will begin in Summer 2021. |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Partnership with Biotech |
Organisation | Apollo Therapeutics |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Identification of novel therapeutic target |
Collaborator Contribution | Progressing development of therapy |
Impact | Partnership activity still in progress |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Takeda partnership with Gammadelta therapeutics |
Organisation | Takeda Pharmaceutical Company |
Country | Japan |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Spin out of GammaDelta |
Collaborator Contribution | KCL (in collaboration with the Crick and CRT) has formed a spin out company (GammaDelta Therapeutics). GammaDelta secured seed funding and liscensing deal with Abingworth LLP providing funding for 12-18 months of further research, allowing team to hire 2 more postdocs plus generous consumables. Gamma Delta T has now grown to 40 people. Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited and GammaDelta have just signed a strategic collaboration to to develop GammaDelta Therapeutics' novel T cell platform. Takeda, together with Abingworth, have committed up to $100 million in funding to accelerate GammaDelta Therapeutics led Research and Development. The funding includes an equity investment, an option fee and research and development funding, and provides Takeda the exclusive right to purchase GammaDelta Therapeutics. Under the agreement, Takeda will appoint a director to GammaDelta Therapeutics' board. |
Impact | NA |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | UK Thai collaboration |
Organisation | Mahidol University |
Department | Siriraj Hospital |
Country | Thailand |
Sector | Hospitals |
PI Contribution | Over the past 6 months, I have begun to collaborate with that of Prof Pa-thai Yenchitsomanus in Bangkok in the area of CAR T-cell immunotherapy. My group has contributed know-how and plasmid reagents to support the development of novel CARs targeted against the MUC1 mucin and other solid tumour targets. I have also supported a fellowship application by one of the senior members of Prof Yenchitsomanus's group. In June, I visited the group of Prof Yenchitsomanus in Bangkok and have presented at two conferences there at which group members were also present. I look forward to hosting Prof Yenchitsomanus and a delegation from his group on a visit to London in October at which we will share research data and plan for further collaborations in this area. |
Collaborator Contribution | Prof Yenchitsomanus's group has offered us access to a human antibody library from which new CAR targeting moieties may be isolated. These plans are currently at an early stage and will be advanced following our next meeting in October. |
Impact | There have been no defined outputs as yet although the collaboration is at a very early stage. |
Start Year | 2016 |
Title | EXPANSION OF NON-HAEMATOPOIETIC TISSUE-RESIDENT ?d T CELLS AND USES OF THESE CELLS |
Description | This invention relates to the expansion of non-haematopoietic tissue-resident ?d T cells in vitro by culturing lymphocytes obtained from non-haematopoietic tissue of humans or non-human animals in the presence of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and/or interleukin-15 (IL-15) and the absence of TCR activation or co-stimulation signals, without any direct contact with stromal or epithelial cells. Methods of non-haematopoietic tissue-resident ?d T cell expansion are provided, as well as populations of non-haematopoietic tissue-resident ?d T cells and uses thereof. |
IP Reference | WO2017072367 |
Protection | Patent application published |
Year Protection Granted | 2017 |
Licensed | Yes |
Impact | This patent application is co-owned by King's College London, Cancer Research Technologies and The Francis Crick Institute. It has been licensed to the London based Start-Up Company GammaDelta Therapeutics Ltd. of which King's College London is a founding Institution. |
Title | OXINE-CONTAINING CELL RADIOLABELLING AGENTS |
Description | The present invention relates to cell radiolabelling agents. The invention provides a method of preparing oxine-containing cell radiolabelling agents, a kit for the preparation of oxine-containing cell radiolabelling agents and a formulation for the preparation of oxine-containing cell radiolabelling agents, in particular 89Zr-oxine cell radiolabelling agents. |
IP Reference | WO2021259869 |
Protection | Patent / Patent application |
Year Protection Granted | 2021 |
Licensed | Commercial In Confidence |
Impact | significant interest from radiotracer and cell therapy companies, PET centres and radiopharmacies. |
Title | THERAPEUTIC AGENTS |
Description | An immunoresponsive cell, such as a T-cell expressing (i)a second generation chimeric antigen receptor comprising: (a) a signalling region; (b) a co-stimulatory signalling region; (c) a transmembrane domain; and (d) a binding element that specifically interacts with a first epitope on a target antigen; and (ii)a chimeric costimulatory receptor comprising (e) a co-stimulatory signalling region which is different to that of (b); (f) a transmembrane domain; and (g) a binding element that specifically interacts with a second epitope on a target antigen. This arrangement is referred to as parallel chimeric activating receptors (pCAR). Cells of this type are useful in therapy, and kits and methods for using them as well as methods for preparing them are described and claimed. |
IP Reference | WO2017021701 |
Protection | Patent application published |
Year Protection Granted | 2017 |
Licensed | No |
Impact | PCT just published |
Title | avß6- binding peptides with variations in the RGD motif (+ fragments of these), avß6- binding peptides which are truncated versions of the 21-mer, HyCAR and HyPR constructs |
Description | avß6- binding peptides with variations in the RGD motif (+ fragments of these), avß6- binding peptides which are truncated versions of the 21-mer, HyCAR and HyPR constructs |
IP Reference | GB1701564.5, GB1702046.2, GB1701566.0, GB1702050.4, GB1701565.2, GB1702048.8, GB1701570.2, GB1702047.0 |
Protection | Patent application published |
Year Protection Granted | |
Licensed | Commercial In Confidence |
Impact | Spin out Leucid Bio raised circa 2.1M seed funding from Sofinnova and Epidarex |
Company Name | GammaDelta Therapeutics |
Description | GammaDelta Therapeutics is developing immunotherapeutic drugs, using gamma delta cells, to treat cancer and other diseases. |
Year Established | 2016 |
Impact | GammaDelta Therapeutics has received seed funding from the London based VC Abingworth and hast started its R&D program and translational work with a focus on GMP cell production. It currently employs 4 FTE scientists and is looking to increase this numbers to 12 by the end of 2017 whilst negotiating series A funding. |
Website | http://www.equatorialresources.com.au |
Company Name | Leucid Bio |
Description | Leucid Bio commercialises immunotherapies designed to help treat cancer, focussing on CAR-T and gamma delta T-cells. |
Year Established | 2014 |
Impact | Leucid Bio raised circa £3.25m seed funding from Sofinnova and Epidarex. |
Website | http://www.leucid.com |
Description | 7th biannual Gamma Delta T cell Conference, London 2016 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | We are organising the 7th international Gamma Delta T cell conference, taking place at King's College London in June 2016. We are expecting between 300-350 international participants including the leading experts in gamma delta T cell biology. The British Society of Immunology will feature the meeting prominently and Nature Immunology has announced to be present at the meeting. We are planning to present data funded by the MRC confidence in concept grant. One talk will focus on tissue resident human gamma delta T cells, their biology and cross talk with stromal cells, which has helped identify a possibly novel checkpoint inhibitor molecule controlling cytotoxic activity by gamma delta T cells. In the second talk, we will present our newly developed isolation and expansion method to grow tissue derived gamma delta T cells to large numbers ex vivo under optimised growth conditions, which was further developed with the help of MRC funding. Availability of gamma delta T cells for immunotherapy is novel and exciting and may open the door for further collaboration in the immunotherapy field and CAR T cell field. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.gammadelta2016.uk |
Description | Academy of Medical Sciences and Association of Physicians |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | To bring together world class speakers and leading industry experts from across European Pharma, Biotech and Academic sectors to share, discuss, collaborate and innovate. Latest scientific breakthroughs, target validation studies, innovative technologies, and new therapeutics will be discussed. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Ada Lovelace |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | This event is aimed at highlighting female scientists and their work as well as promoting discussion of gender equality in the sciences. Ada Lovelace Day event featured talks from myself, Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, space scientist and presenter of The Sky at Night and Professor Paul Walton, of the Department of Chemistry at the University of York and long-time champion of equality in the sciences, will talk about gender equality issues in science. This was followed by a panel discussion about gender issues in science and academia and the event ended with a networking and poster session, at which PhD students presented their research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.kcl.ac.uk/nms/eventrecords/Ada-Lovelace-Day-2015.aspx |
Description | Appearance on BBC Radio 4, In Our Time programme on "Enzymes" |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | In Our Time is a live BBC radio discussion series exploring the history of ideas, presented by Melvyn Bragg since 15 October 1998. It is one of BBC Radio 4's most successful discussion programmes, acknowledged to have "transformed the landscape for serious ideas at peak listening time" Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss enzymes, the proteins that control the speed of chemical reactions in organisms which would otherwise happen too slowly to keep the organisms alive.The purpose is to communicate a basic, fundamental but vital concept to teh general public. The programme generated very positive reaction from the public on twitter. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08rp369 |
Description | BM1305 COST meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | A discussion on how the last grant period has been |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Bench to bedside video |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | The goal of this project was to educate students in the contributions that the individual sciences make to healthcare and health sciences. The project was institution wide and stemmed from a presetation I was previously involved with to a teachers conference on the same theme. In my segement I discuss chemistry in general but also the kinds of research we do and how it contributes to health sciences. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/bench-to-bedside/chemistry.aspx |
Description | British Society of Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (BSHI) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Talks and discussions on new advances in both technology and therapy for transplantation |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Cellular and Molecular mechanisms and new therapeutic concepts in translation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | A 2 day symposium |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Channel 5 interview |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Interview on Channel 5 about the Zika outbreak in Brazil |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Children's Heart Charity Family Day Support (Essex) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Patients, carers and/or patient groups |
Results and Impact | Evelina Children's Heart Organisation held an annual family day. My role was to give a talk on our research, the impact it is having worldwide and how the families have been involved. We also ran an exhibition at this event. Over 200 people attended. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Diseases Plenary Session at ISCT 2017 London |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | so that the broad membership of ISCT can attend the Plenary Sessions for education in areas in which they are not experts and then attendees with specific interest in a field can attend the Plenary Breakout sessions which relate to their specific fields of interest for a more in depth presentation of the research. ISo that invited speakers have a greater opportunity to present their work in a single conference. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | ESOT 2017 Barcelona |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | An educational experience to a broad audience with discussion |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | European Conference of Immunology, Vienna 2015 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Accepted abstract at the European Conference of Immunology in the Category of Innate lymphocytes. The accepted poster described the research project, human tissue resident gamma delta T cell biology, their innate potential, the unidentified tissue checkpoint and their response to tissue disassociation. The poster was well received and generated discussion. One industrial representative asked for possible collaboration using laser induced delivery of molecules under sterile conditions within the human dermis in vitro. Dr. Mathias Eberl from the University of Cardiff suggested a collaboration on tissue resident gamma delta T cells and their role in TH2 skewing of CD4 Helper cells; this would complement published data on cytokine influences on gamma delta T cells very well, we are currently starting to phenotype and identify the specific subset of gamma delta T cells that are of interest to Dr. Eberl in order to confirm feasibility and POC of a possible collaboration. We further established a collaboration with the Kabelitz laboratory at the University of Kiel which will provide us with Hybridoma cell lines producing monoclonal antibodies against various human V gamma chains. Those antibodies are not commercially available and will help us to further describe tissue resident gamma delta T cells in diseased and healthy tissue sections. In general there was very positive feedback from a knowledgeable audience concerning the opportunities that may arise from our novel expansion method. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.eci-vienna2015.org/images/docs/ECI2015_Abstract-Book-v2.pdf |
Description | Final ONE meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | mmmmmm |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | GSTT MRes/PhD Programme in Biomedical and Translational Science Public engagement lecture series & MRC-DTP |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Our master's and PhD student cohort listened to individuals from the government select committee on science policy, publishers, biotech industry and clinical trial managers, public engagement experts from the charity sector and academia as well as public heath experts and an individual from the armed forces. The audience typically reached 50 individuals over six one hour sessions. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015,2016 |
Description | Genetics Society Centenery Scientific Exhibiter at the 2019 Chelsea Flower Show |
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 | The Genetics Society Centenery Discovery Garden section at the Chelsea Flower Show, 2019. This will include a Mendel pea section. The Discovery Garden will be manned by academic geneticists to explain tothe general public about inheritance and genetic traits. In the past this forum has been impactful and this year will be measured by feedback surveys. Thousands of visitors pass through the week of Chelsea and I attend 3 of the 6 days. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-chelsea-flower-show |
Description | Hosted 2 week visit from A-level student |
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 | Schools |
Results and Impact | Hosted a student to shadow lab members for 2 weeks during the summer. This is part of the activities organised by the charity In2Science |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017 |
URL | http://in2scienceuk.org |
Description | Immunotherapies in transplantation and cancer |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | A meeting focused on immunological mechanisms and treatments in transplantation and cancer that are common but have opposite final effects in each of these situations; a given tolerogenic mechanisms need to be fostered in transplantation and inhibited in cancer and viceversa. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012,2017 |
Description | International Congress of Immunology, Melbourne 2016 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | We have submitted an abstract for oral presentation to the international Conference of Immunology in Melbourne in August 2016. Ever since the publication by Gentles et. al reporting their recent analysis (published in Nature Medicine) of 18,000 cancer patients (the largest such sampling ever to be undertaken) which revealed that a gamma delta T cell signature was the strongest positive prognostic indicator across 39 different tumour types, their is an immense interest in using human gamma delta T cells for adaptive immunotherapy or to identify specific ligands for their activation in situ. To our knowledge, because of their elusive numbers in human blood and the lack of extraction protocols from human tissue, we are the only lab capable of isolating, activating and expanding human tissue derived gamma delta T cells to large numbers. Furthermore we plan to report on their cytotoxic behaviour towards transformed cells which are partially mediated via NKG2D. We are optimistic that our request for an oral presentation will be accepted and that our findings will generate positive feedback with the field of basic immunology and applied immunotherapy. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://ici2016.org/call-for-abstracts/ |
Description | Interview for Newsnight |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | interviews about COVID19 response |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Lobby Event to raise politicians awareness of heart research funding (Westminster) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | BHF event/ exhibition to lobby support in westminster for cardiovascular research |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | London Immunology Group and the British Society for Immunology |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Annual Symposium with debate with panel of invited speakers. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Max Delbrück Centre for Molecular Medicine Careers Day Keynote invited speaker |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Max Delbrück Centre for Molecular Medicine Careers Day Keynote invited speaker |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | http://www.mdc-careerday.de/ |
Description | NASMR |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | Webcast for NASMR to highlight research intercalated BSc at KCL in immunobiology |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | NIHR BTRU in ODT |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | NIHR BTRU in Organ Donation and Transplantation |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Participation in K+ Summer School event (KCL widening participation initiative) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | K+ is a widening participation programme. it is a two-year programme of events, activities and academic workshops created to help support your university application and provide the skills students need to reach their potential as an undergraduate student. Students who successfully complete the programme are eligible for the K+ reduced offer to study at King's worth up to two A-level grades lower than the standard offer (excluding medicine and dentistry). Alongside this, all students who successfully complete the K+ programme will receive the K+ start up bursary of up to £1000 in their first year of university.K+ is run by King's College London. As part of the summer programme I gave a talks to a groups of students: entitled "What is antibiotic resistance and how do we tackle it?" I also emphasised the importance of interdisciplinarity in modern scientific research. I consider it a success that my participation has been requested 3 year. I have been asked back in 2023 . |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Participation in K+ Summer School event (KCL widening participation initiative) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | K+ is a widening participation programme. it is a two-year programme of events, activities and academic workshops created to help support your university application and provide the skills students need to reach their potential as an undergraduate student. Students who successfully complete the programme are eligible for the K+ reduced offer to study at King's worth up to two A-level grades lower than the standard offer (excluding medicine and dentistry). Alongside this, all students who successfully complete the K+ programme will receive the K+ start up bursary of up to £1000 in their first year of university.K+ is run by King's College London. As part of the summer programme I gave a talks to a groups of students: In 2020 the talk was entitled "How and why do microbes make antibiotics?" and discussed where antibiotics come from and how and why bacteria use secondary metabolites as part of adaptation to their environmental niche. I also emphasised the importance of interdisciplinarity in modern scientific research. The event was online (due to covid). In 2021 the talk entitled "what is antibiotic resistance and how do we tackle it?" was again online due to COVID. I have now been asked back again this year and will give an in person talk in 2022. I consider it a success that my participation has been requested 3 years in a row. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020,2021 |
URL | https://kplus.london/ |
Description | Pint of Science 2018 - Public engagement talk - "Where do drugs go inside your body?" by Dr Rafael T M. de Rosales |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Public engagement talk for about 50 people |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://pintofscience.co.uk/event/molecular-surveillance-its-hot-stuff |
Description | Primary school talk / Burton on Trent - Science Week 2019 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Talk at primary school |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Public engagement - Pint of Science 2017 - Dr Francis Man |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Public engagement talk (Pint of Science) - Reprogramming immune cells to kill cancer |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://pintofscience.co.uk/event/when-chemistry--biology-collide |
Description | Public engagement with school children |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | My team has participated in public engagement events in conjunction with the Institute for Research in Schools (IRIS), who work to give secondary school students the opportunity to become involved in real scientific research, and to expand their involvement in science beyond that of a textbook in a classroom. A-level students worked on a range of projects led by academics at local universities and presented their data at the Authentic Biology Symposium (funded by the Wellcome Trust) in November 2017. One of my PhD students (Laura Constable) was invited to speak at the symposium about inflammatory bowel disease and potential new therapeutic options in its treatment, with particular focus on cell therapy and how their immunomodulatory properties can be exploited to treat disease. In addition, she also participated in a panel discussion with students about becoming involved with scientific research (particularly about undertaking a PhD) and pursuing a career in science. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Radio interviews about COVID19 on LBC |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | I have been a regular interviewee on LBC for COVID19-related topics with Tom Swarbrick, Nick Ferrari, Shelagh Fogarty, Iain Dale |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Realising Opportunities, academic skills module (Widening Participation Event) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Realising Opportunities (RO) is a unique collaboration of leading, research intensive universities, working together to promote fair access and social mobility of students from groups underrepresented in higher education. This talk was part of their academic skills module. There were approximately 80 A level students attending this webinar (this would have course normally have been in person but due to Covid was converted to a webinar). The talk was entitled "How and why do microbes make antibiotics?" and discussed where antibiotics come from and how and why bacteria use secondary metabolites as part of adaptation to their environmental niche. I also emphasised the importance of interdisciplinarity in modern scientific research. Anonymous feedback indicated that it was received positively (see below). The Q and A was very lively indicating that students found the talk engaging. K+ Academic Day student feedback: 1. The first lecture I watched was by Sarah Barry about Antibiotics which was very informative for me and fully captured me. It was my favourite lecture today especially learning about antibiotics resistance and how it affects us. I especially like the live event where we could ask questions and it was answered very detailed. 2. Dr.Barry made an interesting link between chemistry and biology and how both are used constantly for the benefit of medicine and new interventions. It reinforces the reasons we have to take both biology and chemistry at A-Levels. It was interesting. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | http://www.realisingopportunities.ac.uk/ |
Description | Regulation of the immune response in support of hematopoietic progenitor cell and solid organ transplantation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | British Society for Immunology Congress |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Therapeutic Tolerance Workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | informal networking opportunity with discussion |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | UCB Seminar |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Collaboration project |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | UK Humanised Mouse Symposium |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | A working group |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | UK Kidney Week 2017 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | an update on therapies in renal transplantation |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | UKRMP 2 Meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | A working group |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | UKRMP NHSBT joint workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | forum to plan future strategy and collaborations in the field |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Undergraduate lab visits/job shadowing |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | 2 groups of 2 Chemistry undergraduates visited our laboratories to observe our research. They spent 2 days observing me undertaking pre-clinical scanning on this project and the premise of the research project was explained to them. The students were engaged and asked questions about the research and also about studying for a PhD and subsequent career paths. The students expressed an interest in going on to study for a PhD. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | podcast |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Podcast discussing the role of molecular biology in scientific discovery. the podcast is aimed at scientists at all levels and in all sectors. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
URL | https://www.thermofisher.com/uk/en/home/brands/invitrogen/molecular-biology-technologies/speaking-of... |