Babraham Institute welcomes three new research groups to study the ageing immune system

• Babraham Institute recruits three new immunologists as Group Leaders in the Lymphocyte Signalling & Development programme
• Drs Adrian Liston, Sarah Ross and Claudia Ribeiro de Almeida will be moving from VIB, Leuven, Belgium, the University of Dundee and the University of Oxford respectively.
• They bring new expertise in the regulation of the immune system by specialised regulatory T cells, the signals involved in T cell specialisation and understanding how B cells produce certain antibodies in response to illness.

Today the Babraham Institute in Cambridge, UK is pleased to announce the recruiting of three new principal investigators to their organisation. Dr Adrian Liston, an established lead researcher currently based at VIB and the University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Belgium, joins as a Senior Group Leader. Meanwhile Dr Sarah Ross from the University of Dundee and Dr Claudia Ribeiro de Almeida from the University of Oxford will both be relocating to start their own independent research groups as Tenure-Track Group Leaders. All three groups will join the Institute’s Lymphocyte Signalling & Development research programme.

Institute Director, Professor Michael Wakelam, said: “We are thrilled to have all three of these outstanding researchers bringing their skills and expertise to the Institute. It is crucial that we continue to build our expertise in new areas and work together to make new breakthroughs. These new groups will all be critical to achieving our goal of understanding the ageing immune system and realising our vision of healthier ageing and better long-health for everyone.

“We are particularly pleased to welcome Dr Liston who has been a long-time collaborator with the Institute and whose move from VIB reflects the importance of international exchange in research and the success of our participation in the EU-LIFE consortium of European research institutes in promoting shared opportunities, practices and values.”

Dr Liston’s group at VIB focuses on translational immunology. His work has included studies of regulatory T cells (Tregs) – cells that help to restrict the responses of the immune system. Tregs play an important role in avoiding autoimmune diseases and allergies where the immune system responds to the wrong things. His group have helped to identify a new type of Treg and provided the first clear idea of how Tregs are controlled. Major recent publications have focused on the role of the immune system in diabetes and the effect of age on the immune system. Dr Liston has collaborated often with the Linterman group and his work is expected to be an excellent complement for the Institute’s existing expertise.

Speaking about his new role Dr Liston said: “I was attracted to the Babraham Institute due to its international reputation for biological research. It is one of the few centres with such a strong history of converting strategic basic research into societal gain, with a culture of both diversity and intellectual freedom. I see the move to Babraham as a chance to invest in blue sky research with the long-term potential to transform immunology for the future.”

Dr Ross is currently a Postdoctoral Researcher with Professor Doreen Cantrell. She brings expertise in the analysis of signal transduction in T cells – understanding how molecules on and in these cells regulate their behaviour, particularly migration and differentiation. Her most recent published work focuses on the role of the signal molecule interleukin-2 in cell growth, division and specialisation of T cells.

Dr Ross said: “I am thrilled to be joining the Babraham Institute. My research links several existing research areas within the Institute, and the outstanding facilities and exciting opportunities to form collaborations makes it the perfect environment to launch my new lab. Together, I believe this will allow us to achieve a better understanding of both heathy and diseased immune responses.”

Dr Ribeiro de Almeida is presently working with Professor Nicholas Proudfoot as a Postdoctoral Researcher in Oxford. Her recent research has examined proteins called helicases in B cells of the immune system. She is interested in how these DNA- and RNA-unwinding proteins help B cells to respond to threats by producing different types of antibodies to combat infections. Earlier this year, she published work showing the importance of a helicase called DDX1 in the expression of IgH antibody genes.

Dr Ribeiro de Almeida said: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to start my own research group at the Babraham Institute. Throughout my career I have always felt very close to the Institute’s research and ethos. Being able to take the next step in my career in such a supportive and collaborative environment is very exciting.”

Head of the Institute’s Lymphocyte Signalling & Development programme, Dr Martin Turner said: “I am very pleased to have three outstanding new research groups joining our team. They bring critical expertise that are vital to achieving the programmes core BBSRC-funded goals. With the help of Drs Liston, Ross and Ribeiro de Almeida we can further enhance our understanding of signalling and control of the immune system, the response to infections and the effects of ageing on the immune system. I look forward to working alongside them all as they build their new groups here at the Institute."

Dr Ross will take up her new position at the Institute from 1^st October, while Dr Ribeiro de Almeida will join a month later on 1^st November. Dr Liston’s lab at the Institute will start work in early 2019.

About Dr Adrian Liston

Adrian Liston is a Belgian/Australian researcher. He gained his PhD with Professor Chris Goodnow at the Australian National University studying T cell tolerance and diabetes. He moved on to study regulatory T cells with Professor Sasha Rudensky at the University of Washington before starting his own lab at VIB in 2009. His independent laboratory has focused on translational immunology, using mouse models to help human health. Dr Liston has produced over 130 publications with over 5000 citations and has been awarded two ERC grants, the Eppendorf Prize and a Francqui Chair, among other honours. He also holds degrees in Public Health and Higher Education.

About Dr Sarah Ross

Sarah Ross comes from Scotland. She gained her PhD with Professor Sir Peter Downes in Dundee, investigating how oxygen-derived signalling molecules regulate cell functions. She obtained a FEBS long-term fellowship to move to UMC Utrecht, Netherlands in 2008 to research signalling pathways involved in the integrity of tissue architecture with Professor Johannes Bos before returning to Dundee to join Professor Cantrell in early 2013. She has 11 publications with over 300 citations. Sarah is interested in making science accessible through public engagement and supporting the development of young scientists.

About Dr Claudia Ribeiro de Almeida

Claudia Ribeiro de Almeida originates from Portugal. She studied Molecular Biology & Genetics at the University of Lisbon before moving to Erasmus MC, Rotterdam to gain a PhD with Dr Rudi Hendriks examining the role of the gene regulating protein CTCF in the development of lymphocyte immune cells. As a Postdoctoral Researcher, she initially moved to MRC-Clinical Sciences Centre (now MRC-LIMS) before joining the Proudfoot lab as an EMBO fellow.

About the Babraham Institute
The Babraham Institute undertakes world-class life sciences research to generate new knowledge of biological mechanisms underpinning ageing, development and the maintenance of health. Our research focuses on cellular signalling, gene regulation and the impact of epigenetic regulation at different stages of life. By determining how the body reacts to dietary and environmental stimuli and manages microbial and viral interactions, we aim to improve wellbeing and support healthier ageing. The Institute receives core funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) through an Institute Core Capability Grant. 

About the BBSRC

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) is part of UK Research and Innovation, a non-departmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid from the UK government.

BBSRC invests in world-class bioscience research and training on behalf of the UK public. Our aim is to further scientific knowledge, to promote economic growth, wealth and job creation and to improve quality of life in the UK and beyond.

Funded by government, BBSRC invested £469 million in world-class bioscience in 2016-17. We support research and training in universities and strategically funded institutes. BBSRC research and the people we fund are helping society to meet major challenges, including food security, green energy and healthier, longer lives. Our investments underpin important UK economic sectors, such as farming, food, industrial biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.

Congratulations to Dr Vasiliki Lagou!

Congratulations to Dr Lagou, who successfully renewed her prestigious FWO Post-doctoral Fellowship award. Vasiliki will work on the genetic control of immune disorders in patients. 

Congratulations Dr Aleksandra Brajic!

 Congratulations to Dr Brajic, who was successful in the prestigious (and highly competitive) FWO Post-doctoral Fellowship awards. Aleksandra will work on developing new tools to study the function of regulatory T cells in kidney disease.

Seminar notes

Amazing lecture notes on my recent CIMR seminar from Dr Jane Goodall. You can follow her and her lecture notes on twitter @Beautifullight1

A new era for the Golden Pipette

Another lab retreat, and the Golden Pipette has found a new home. Dr Emanuela Pasciuto passed the batton on to Dr Carlos Roca, for the development of a revolutionary new software package for automated analysis of flow cytometry data. A first for the Golden Pipette, won for bioinformatics, and a first for Dr Roca, having never held a pipette before.

Translational Immunology: A Great Team!

Congratulations to Dr Aleksandra Brajic!

Dr Aleksandra Brajic just won the best poster award at the Center for Brain and Disease Research. Winning against such strong competition, and on a project that does not involve the brain, is a real achievement! Dr Brajic's work on the lncRNA Flatr and regulatory T cells will be published soon.

 

Translational Immunology lab in the news

Our research was featured tonight on VRT News:

Speaking roles by Carine Wouters, Erika Van Nieuwenhove and Adrian Liston. Cameos from Stephanie Humblet-Baron, John Barber and Pier-Andree Penttila

 

 

Original research: Van Nieuwenhove et al. 2018 Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. "A kindred with mutant IKAROS and autoimmunity"

If you would like to support our clinical research, and allow us to take on more cases like these, you can make a tax-deductable donation the Ped IMID fund, by transferring to IBAN-number BE45 7340 1941 7789, BIC-code: KREDBEBB with the label "voor EBD-FOPIIA-O2010".

Scientists uncover new genetic cause of lupus on World Lupus Day

A team of scientists and clinicians has identified a novel mutation causing an unusual form of the autoimmune disease lupus. The genetic analysis of a Belgian family sheds new light on the disease mechanisms underlying lupus, which could possibly yield new therapeutic approaches for patients. The findings are published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology in the week leading up to World Lupus Day.

Lupus is an autoimmune disorder, meaning that the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues. Lupus can affect multiple organs but its cause is often not clear. Usually a combination of genetic and environmental factors is at play.

Researchers in Leuven have now discovered a novel genetic mutation in a patient that presented at the age of 12 with both lupus and problems in the ability of the immune system to fight common infections. This unusual combination of symptoms was quite puzzling.

By analyzing the patient’s DNA and that of the parents, the scientists could trace the problem down to a specific mutation in the so-called Ikaros gene. This gene encodes the Ikaros protein that in turn binds DNA to affect the expression of other proteins.

Erika Van Nieuwenhove, clinician and scientist at VIB-KU Leuven, explains how the mutation caused the patient’s immune system to be hyperactive: “Because of the mutation, Ikaros can no longer bind its target DNA properly. We also observed that certain immune cells of the patients were hyperactive, even in the absence of stimulation. The link between both observations turned out to be CD22, a protein that normally dampens the immune response. In normal conditions, Ikaros stimulates the expression of this inhibitor, but this was not the case in this patient.”

About 5 million people worldwide have lupus, but a causative mutation in Ikaros is very rare. “Small changes in Ikaros are associated with susceptibility to adult-onset lupus, but because the effects are weak it is hard to work out what Ikaros is doing to the immune system,” explains prof. Adrian Liston (VIB-KU Leuven), who heads the lab for translational immunology and is lead author of the study. “In this particular family, however, a mutation created a large change in Ikaros, causing early-onset lupus. The mutation was strong enough to allow us to work out how changes in Ikaros cause lupus and immune deficiency.”

Although the patient in this study has a very rare form of lupus, the discovery nevertheless helps to map the overall disease mechanisms, underscores prof. Carine Wouters, pediatric rheumatologist at University Hospitals Leuven and co-lead of the study: “The mechanism we uncovered in this patient could also be meaningful in a different context with other patients. Now that we understand what goes wrong in this particular case, it could help us think of better targeted treatments for others as well.”

Original research: Van Nieuwenhove et al. 2018 Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. "A kindred with mutant IKAROS and autoimmunity"

If you would like to support our clinical research, and allow us to take on more cases like these, you can make a tax-deductable donation the Ped IMID fund, by transferring to IBAN-number BE45 7340 1941 7789, BIC-code: KREDBEBB with the label "voor EBD-FOPIIA-O2010".

Nieuwe genetische oorzaak van lupus ontdekt

Leuvense artsen en onderzoekers ontdekken een DNA-fout die een ongewone vorm van de auto-immuunziekte lupus kan veroorzaken. Door het DNA van een jonge patiënt en diens ouders na te gaan slaagden ze erin het ziektemechanisme beter te belichten, wat op termijn tot betere behandelingsmogelijkheden zou kunnen leiden, ook voor andere patiënten. De resultaten werden vlak voor Wereld Lupusdag gepubliceerd in het vakblad ‘Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology’.

Lupus is een auto-immuunziekte die verschillende organen kan aantasten. Het afweersysteem maakt hierbij antistoffen aan tegen het eigen lichaam. De oorzaak is in veel gevallen onduidelijk, vaak speelt er een combinatie van zowel erfelijke als omgevingsfactoren.

Leuvense onderzoekers ontdekten nu een nieuwe genetische mutatie bij een patiënt die al op 12-jarige leeftijd lupus kreeg, maar tegelijkertijd ook heel weinig antistoffen aanmaakte om zich te beschermen tegen infecties. Deze ongewone combinatie van symptomen vormde een raadsel voor de artsen.

Dankzij een speurtocht in het DNA van de patiënt en van beide ouders, kon het team van wetenschappers de oorzaak herleiden naar een specifieke fout in het gen voor Ikaros. Dit gen is de blauwdruk voor een eiwit dat op zijn beurt aan DNA kan binden om de productie van andere eiwitten te stimuleren.

Erika Van Nieuwenhove, arts-onderzoeker aan VIB-KU Leuven, verduidelijkt waarom de drempel voor activatie van het afweersysteem daardoor zo laag is bij deze patiënt: “Door de fout in het gen kan Ikaros niet meer goed aan het DNA binden. We zagen ook dat bepaalde immuuncellen van de patiënt hyperactief waren, zelfs zonder stimulatie. De link tussen beide was het CD22 eiwit, dat normaalgezien de immuunreactie tempert. Ikaros stimuleert normaal de productie van deze demper, maar dus niet bij deze patiënt.”

Lupus bij kinderen komt relatief vaak voor, maar dat de oorzaak bij het Ikaros eiwit ligt is heel zeldzaam. “Kleine wijzigingen in Ikaros verhogen de kans op lupus bij volwassenen, maar omdat de effecten zo klein zijn was het aanvankelijk moeilijk om uit te vissen hoe Ikaros het immuunsysteem beïnvloedt,” vertelt professor Adrian Liston (VIB-KU Leuven), die aan het hoofd van het labo voor translationele immunologie staat. “Bij deze familie gaat het om een genetische wijziging met grotere gevolgen, die dan ook al op jonge leeftijd lupus veroorzaakt. Maar net door het grotere effect konden we nu uitklaren op welke manier het defecte Ikaros de immuunreactie verstoort.”

Hoewel het gaat om een zeldzame vorm van lupus helpt deze doorbraak om het hele plaatje beter in kaart te brengen, bevestigt Prof. Carine Wouters, kinderreumatoloog aan UZ Leuven, die samen met prof. Liston de studie leidde: “Het mechanisme dat we bij deze patiënt ontdekten kan ook een rol van betekenis spelen bij andere patiënten. Nu we bij deze persoon begrijpen wat er fout loopt kan dat ook helpen om voor anderen meer gerichtere therapieën te ontwikkelen.”