Lesley Smyth

Associate Professor Lesley Smyth

Associate Professor of Immunology
School of Medicine and Biosciences
lesley.smyth@uwl.ac.uk

I started my scientific career at the University of Glasgow, where I studied Immunology for my BSc degree. After a brief spell in the immunobiology department at Yale University, I embarked on a PhD at Edinburgh University, studying the mechanisms behind immunological tolerance to milk proteins. I then moved to London where I worked at the National Institute for Medical Research investigating the signalling pathways involved in positive and negative thymic T cell selection. From there, I changed course slightly to work on endothelial cells and the role anti-apoptotic molecules play with regards to protecting these cells from immune responses during transplantation. Continuing within the transplantation field, I moved to King’s College London working with Professors Robert Lechler and Giovanna Lombardi. There, I continued my research into immune regulation investigating the use of tolerogenic dendritic cells (DCs), as well as regulatory T cells, as cellular therapies to induce transplant tolerance. In addition, my research area focused on the intercellular transfer of information between cells and its implications in both viral and transplant settings. This led to the discovery that viral peptide: MHC class 1 MHC molecules are exchanged between professional antigen-presenting cells highlighting a novel mechanism for spreading antigen during viral infections. In addition, I was the first to show that regulatory T cells release extracellular vesicles (EV) that have immune modulatory properties and help prolong transplant survival in preclinical models. After leaving KCL, I joined the University of East London as a Senior Lecturer of Immunology, where I continued my tolerogenic DC and EV related research.

  • Qualifications

    BSc Immunology (University of Glasgow)

    PhD Immunology (University of Edinburgh)

    PGCert in HE (King's College London)

  • Memberships

    Board member and Treasurer of the UK Extracellular Vesicles Society
    Member of the British Society for Immunology
    Member of the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles
    Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
    Visiting Lecturer at King's College London

Teaching

I have over 10 years experience of teaching immunology to both undergraduates and postgraduate students.

I was a module lead for L5 (Infection and Immunity), L6 (Clinical Immunology) and L7 (Immunology and Immunotherapy) modules at the University of East London.

In addition to teaching on all these modules I also taught on Clinical Biochemistry, Cellular Pathology, Biology and Maths, Biology of Disease and Professional Practice modules.

I have also supervised L6 and L7 research projects.

Research

I have over 30 years of research expertise in immunology and have written and published over 50 research papers in a variety of topic within this area. In addition, I have presented my research findings at both national and international conferences. I also review submitted manuscripts for several journals including Nature Communications, Frontiers in Immunology and American Journal for Transplantation, to name a few. I am a review editor for Frontiers in Inflammation. Lastly, I am a board member and treasurer of the UKEV society.

My previous research positions were:

  • Research Fellow (KCL, 2005 - 2015)
  • Senior Post-Doctoral Associate (UCL, 2000 - 2005)
  • Post-Doctoral Associate (NIMR, 1995 - 2000)
  • Research Assistant (Yale University, 1990 - 1991)
  • Research Assistant (University of Glasgow, 1989)

  • Research and publications

    Publications

    2023

    Jacob J, Volpe A, Peng Q, Lechler R.I, Smyth L.A, Lombardi G, and Fruhwirth G.O. Radiolabelling of polyclonal human regulatory T cells (Treg) with 89Zr-oxine for in vivo cell tracking. Molecules (2023) 28(3):1482.

    Peng Q, Nowocin A, Ratnasothy K, Smyth LA, Smith RA, Lechler RI, Dorling A and Lombardi G. Inhibition of thrombin on endothelium enhances recruitment of regulatory T cells during IRI and when combined with adoptive Treg transfer, significantly protects against acute tissue injury and prolongs allograft survival. Front Immunol. (2023), 13. 980462.

    2022

    Tran GT, Verma ND, Smyth L and Hall BM. Editorial: Characterisation, functions and roles of antigen-specific regulatory T cells in health and disease. Front. Immunol. 13:1022813.doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1022813.

    2021

    Trevelin S.C., Zampetaki A., Sawyer G., Ivetic A., Brewer A.C., Smyth L.A, Marelli-Berg F., Kochl R, Lechler R.I., Shah A.M and Lombardi G. Nox2-deficient Tregs improves heart transplant outcome via their increased graft recruitment and enhanced potency. JCI Insight. (2021).6(18):e149301.

    Jacob J, Nadkarni S, Volpe A, Peng Q, Tung SL, Hannen RF, Mohseni YR, Scotta C, Marelli-Berg FM, Lechler RI, Smyth LA*, Fruhwirth GO*, and Lombardi G*. Spatiotemporal in vivo tracking of polyclonal human regulatory T cells (Treg) reveals a role for innate immune cells in Treg transplant recruitment. * joint senior author. Molecular Therapy-Methods & Clinical Development. (2021) 20, 324-336.

    2020

    Becker P.D, Ratnasothy K., Sen M, Romano M, Peng Q, Bazoer J, Suvitra E, Stout A, Hylton S.G, Dorling A, Lechler, R.I, Smyth, L.A* and Lombardi G*. * joint senior author.

    B lymphocytes contribute to indirect pathway T cell sensitisation via acquisition of extracellular vesicles. * joint senior author. Am J Transp. (2020), 21(4)1415-1426.

    Tung SL, Fanelli G, Matthews RI, Bazoer J, Letizia M, Vizcay-Barrena G, Faruqu FN, Philippeos C, Hannen R, Al-Jamal KT, Lombardi G and Smyth L A. Regulatory T cell extracellular vesicles modify T-effector cell cytokine production and protect against human skin allograft damage. Front Cell and Dev Biol. (2020), 8:317.

    Opeolu O., Ofosu W., Falobi AA., Falana AB., Sen M and Smyth LA. Immunomodulatory and anti-diabetic actions of a structurally-modified analogue of esculentin-2Cha isolated from the skin secretion of the frog, lithobates chiricahuensis (ranidae). Endocrine Abstracts. (2020) 70 AEP252.

    2019

    Peng Q, Ratnasothy K, Lechler R, Smyth LA, Lombardi G. Protease activated receptor 4 as a novel modulator of regulatory T cell function. (2019). Front Immunol (10):1311.

    Hassan HAFM, Diebold SS, Smyth LA, Walters AA, Lombardi G, Al-Jamal KT. Application of carbon nanotubes in cancer vaccines: Achievements, challenges and chances. (2019). J Control Release doi: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2019.01.017.

    Faruqu FN, Tzu-Wen Wang J, Xu L, McNickle L, Ming-Yiu Chong E, Walters A, Gurney M, Clayton A, Smyth LA, Hider R, Sosabowski J, Al-Jamal KT. Membrane radiolabelling of exosomes for comparative biodistribution analysis in immunocompetent and immunodeficient mice – a novel and universal approach. (2019). Theranostics.

    2018

    Emmerson A, Trevelin SC, Mongue-Din H, Becker PD, Ortiz C, Smyth LA, Peng Q, Elgueta R, Sawyer G, Ivetic A, Lechler RI, Lombardi G, Shah AM. Nox2 in regulatory T cells promotes angiotensin II-induced cardiovascular remodelling. (2018). J Clin Invest. pii: 97490. doi: 10.1172/JCI97490.

    Tung SL, Boardman DA, Sen M, Letizia M, Peng Q, Cianci N, Dioni L, Carlin LM, Lechler R, Bollati V, Lombardi G, Smyth LA. Regulatory T cell-derived extracellular vesicles modify dendritic cell function. (2018). Sci Rep 8(1):6065.

    Alhabbab R, Blair P, Smyth LA, Ratnasothy K, Peng Q, Moreau A, Lechler R, Elgueta R, Lombardi G. Galectin 1 is required for the regulatory function of B cells. (2018). Sci Rep. 9;8(1):2725. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-19965-z.

    2017

    Smyth LA, Meader L, Xiou F, Woodward M J, Brady H J, Lombardi G and Lechler RI. Over-expression of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family member Bf1-1 (A1) protein in vascular endothelial cells leads to transplant tolerance. (2017). Clin Exp Immunol. 188(2):219-225.

    Romano M, Tung S, Smyth LA and Lombardi G. Treg therapy in transplantation. (2017). Transplant Int. 30(8):745-753.

    Boardman D, Lechler RI, Smyth LA and Lombardi G. Expression of a chimeric antigen receptor specific for donor HLA class 1 enhances the potency of human regulatory T cells in preventing human skin transplant rejection. (2017). Am J Transplant. 17(4):931-943.

    Boardman DA, Jacob J, Smyth LA, Lombardi G, Lechler RI. What is Direct allorecognition? Curr Transplant Rep. 2016;3(4):275-283.

    Smyth LA, Lechler RI and Lombardi G. Continuous acquisition of MHC:peptide complexes by recipient cells contributes to the generation of anti-graft CD8+ T cell immunity. (2017). Am J Transplant. 17(1):60-68.

    2016

    Hatem A. F. M. Hassan, Smyth L, Julie T.−W. Wang, Pedro M. Costa, Kulachelvy Ratnasothy, Huw D. Summers, Sandra S. Diebold, Giovanna Lombardi, Khuloud T. Al−Jamal. (2016). Dual stimulation of antigen presenting cells using carbon nanotube−based vaccine delivery system for cancer immunotherapy. Biomaterials 104: 310-22.

    Boardman D, Maher J, Lechler R, Smyth L, Lombardi G. Antigen-specificity using chimeric antigen receptors: the future of regulatory T-cell therapy. (2016). Biochem Soc Trans. 15;44(2):342-8.

    2015

    Hatem A. F. M. Hassan, Smyth L, Noelia Rubio, Kulachelvy Ratnasothy, Julie T.-W. Wang, Sukhvinder S Bansal, Huw D. Summers, Sandra Diebold, Giovanna Lombardi, Khuloud T. Al-Jamal. Carbon nanotubes charge determine their potency as vaccine nanocarriers in vitro and in vivo. (2015). J Control Release 10:225 205-16.

    Alhabbab R, Blair P, Elgueta R, Stolarczyk E, Marks E, Becker PD, Ratnasothy K, Smyth L, Safinia N, Sharif-Paghaleh E, O'Connell S, Noelle RJ, Lord GM, Howard JK, Spencer J, Lechler RI, Lombardi G. Diversity of gut microflora is required for the generation of B cells with regulatory properties in a skin graft model. (2015). Sci Rep. 25; 5:11554.

    Kapustin AN, Kalinina N, Lopatina T, Davidson SM, Iraci N, Tamkovich S, Smyth L, Ter-Ovanesyan D, Evtushenko EG, Savelieva O, Bertazzo S, Aushev V, Dragovic R, Gracia T, Heck M, Parfyonova YV, Shanahan CM, Tkachuk V.UK-Russian Researcher Links Workshop:extracellular vesicles – mechanisms of biogenesis and roles in disease pathogenesis, M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia, 1-5 March 2015. J. Extracell. Vesicles. (2015). 14;4:28094.

    2014

    Agarwal A, Tung S, Fanelli G, Letizia M, Boardman D, Lechler R, Lombardi G and Smyth LA. Regulatory T cell derived Exosomes: possible therapeutic and diagnostic tools in transplantation. (2014). Front Immunol, 5 (5): 555.

    Moreau A, Blair P A, Chai JG, Ratnasothy K, Stolarczyk E, Alhabbab R, Rackham CL, Jones PM, Smyth LA, Elgueta R, Howard JK, Lechler RI, Lombardi G. Transitional-2 B cells acquire regulatory function during tolerance induction and contribute to allograft survival. (2014). Eur J Immunol, 45: 843-53.

    Smyth LA, Boardman D, Tung S, Lechler RI and Lombardi G. MicroRNA affect dendritic cell function and phenotype. (2014). Immunology, 144: 197-205.

    Sharif-Paghaleh E, Leech J, Sunassee K, Ali N, Lechler RI, Smyth LA *, Lombardi G *, Mullen GE *. SPECT/CT tracking of 99mTc-HMPAO labelled CD4+ T cells in a dendritic cell vaccine murine model. (2014). Eur J Immunol 44: 2188-91. * Joint last authors

    Smyth LA, Ratnasothy K, Tsang JY, Boardman D, Warley A, Lombardi G and Lechler RI. (2013). CD73 expression on extracellular vesicles derived from CD4+CD25+ FoxP3+ T cells contributes to their regulatory function. Eur J Immunol 43: 2430-40.

    2013

    Smyth LA, Ratnasothy K, Moreau A, Alcock S, Sagoo P, Meader L Tanriver Y, Buckland M, Lechler R, and Lombardi G. (2013). Tolerogenic dendritic cells risk sensitisation in vivo due to processing and presentation by recipient antigen-presenting cells. J Immunol 190: 4848-60.

    Leech J M, Sharif-Paghaleh E, Maher J, Livieratos L, Lechler R I, Mullen G E*, Lombardi G * and Smyth LA. *. (2013). Whole body imaging of adoptively transferred T cells using MRI, SPECT and PET techniques, with a focus on regulatory T cells. Clin Exp Immunol 172: 169-77 * Joint last authors.

    2012

    Smyth LA, Hervoute C, Hayday T, Becker PD, Ellis R, Lechler RI, Lombardi G and Klavinskis LS (2012). Acquisition of MHC:peptide complexes by dendritic cells contributes to viral immunity in vivo. J Immunol 189: 2247-82.

    Peng Q, Li K, Smyth L, Wang N, Xin G, Meader L, Lu B, Sacks SH and Zhou W (2012). Additive effect of C3aR and C5aR deficiency in protecting mice from renal ischaemia reperfusion injury. J Am Soc Nephro 23: 1474-85.

    M Buckland, L Smyth, R Lechler and Giovanna Lombardi. (2012). Prospects for the induction of transplant tolerance using dendritic cells in Immunological Barriers to Regenerative Medicine; 257-279.

    2011

    Sharif-Paghaleh E, Sunassee K, Tavare R, Ratnasothy K, Koers A, Ali N, Alhabbab R, Blower PJ Lechler RI, Smyth LA*, Mullen G*, Lombardi G*. (2011). In vivo SPECT reporter gene imaging of regulatory T cells. PLoS One 6 (10): e25857. * Joint last authors.

    JYS Tsang, K Ratnasothy, D Li, Y Chen, R P Bucy, K F Lau, L Smyth, G Lombardi, R Lechler and P K Hang Tam. (2011). The potency of allospecific Tregs appears to correlate with T cell receptor functional avidity. Am J Transp 11: 1610-20.

    Lombardi G, Sagoo P, Scotta C, Fazekasova H, Smyth L, Tsang J, Afzali B, Lechler R. (2011). Cell therapy to promote transplant tolerance: a winning strategy? Immunotherapy 3 (4 Suppl):28-31.

    2008-1991

    Smyth L.A., Harker N., Turnbull W., El-Doueik H., Klavinski L., Lombardi G and Lechler RI. (2008). The Relative efficiency of acquisition of MHC:peptide complexes and cross-presentation depends on dendritic cell type. J. Immunol. 181: 3212-20.

    Smyth L.A., Afzali B., Tsang J., Lombardi G and Lechler R.I. (2007). Intercellular Transfer of MHC and Immunological Molecules: Molecular Mechanisms and Biological Significance. Am J Transp 7: 1442–1449.

    Smyth LA., Herrera OB., Goldshayan D., Lombardi G and Lechler RI. (2006). A novel pathway of antigen presentation by dendritic and endothelial cells; implications for allorecognition and infectious diseases. Transplantation 82(1 suppl): S15-8.

    Smyth LA., Brady HJ. (2005). cMet and Fas receptor interaction inhibits death-inducing signaling complex formation in endothelial cells. Hypertension. 46: 100-6.

    Smyth LA., Ardouin L., Williams O., Norton T., Tybulewitz V and Kioussis D. (2002). Inefficient clustering of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins at the immunological synapse in response to an antagonist peptide. Eur. J. Immunol. 32: 3386-3394.

    Reynolds LF.,Smyth LA., Norton T., Freshney N., Downward J., Kioussis D and Tybulewicz VLJ. (2002). Vav1 transduces T cell receptor signals to the activation of phospholipase C-1 via phosphoinositide 3-kinase-dependent and -independent pathways. J. Exp. Med 195: 1103-14.

    Van Laethem F., Baus E., Smyth LA., Andris F., Bex F., Urbain J., Kioussis D and Leo O. (2001). Glucocorticoids attenuate T cell receptor signaling. J. Exp. Med 193; 803-14.

    Smyth LA., Reynolds L., Tyrrell R., Williams O., Norton T., Schumacher T., Tybulewicz T., Ley SC and Kioussis D. (1999) Signaling in primary thymocytes after presentation of altered peptide ligands by antigen-presenting cells or MHC-peptide tetramers. Cold. Spring. Harb. Symp. Quant. Biol 64: 275-81.

    Smyth LA., Williams O., Huby RD., Norton T., Acuto O., Ley SC and Kioussis D. (1998). Altered peptide ligands induce quantitatively but not qualitatively different intracellular signals in primary thymocytes. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 95: 8193-8.

    Tarazona R., Williams O., Moskophidis D., Smyth LA., Tanaka Y., Wack A., Mamalaki C and Kioussis D. (1998). Susceptibility and resistance to antigen-induced apoptosis in the thymus of transgenic mice. J. Immunol. 160: 5397-403.

    Smyth LA., Williams O., Ley S and Kioussis D. (1997). Altered peptide ligand (APL) signalling in primary thymocytes. Immunology Letters 56: 234.

    Smyth LA and Ansell, J. (1994). Immunological tolerance to a mammary gland-specific transgenic protein. Immunology Letters 40.

    Smyth L., Howell, M and Crispe, I.N. (1992). Self-reactivity and the expression of memory markers vary independently in the MRL-Mp +/+ and MRL-Mp-lpr/lpr mice. Developmental Immunology 2: 309-318.

    Richardson MD., Smyth LA and Shankland GS. (1991). Stimulation of the human neutrophil phagocytosis of Candida albicans by a -glutan synthase inhibitor Cilofungin. FEMS Microbiology Immunology 76: 299-304.

    Grants and funding

    Orthopaedic Institute. Investigating the potential of T cells isolated from juvenile thymuses for the development of allogeneic therapies for autoimmune conditions (SELECT) (awarded June 2023). Total Award: £52,731. Co-Investigator.

    Rosetrees Trust Seedcorn grant. Engineering probiotic yeast to produce inflammation resolving Extracellular Vesicles (awarded Jan 2023). Total award: £10,000. Principle Investigator.

    NIBSC: PhD studentship. In vitro immunoregulatory potency of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells-derived Extracellular Vesicles as cell-free therapeutics. Total Award: £60,000 (Oct 2021-2024). Co- investigator.

    Institute of Orthopaedics School of Medicine, Keele University: PhD studentship (£45,900), (Oct 2021-Oct 2024). Regulatory T cell-derived extracellular vesicles in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a cell-free modality for suppression of inflammation. Co-investigator.

    British Heart Foundation project grant (2017-2020). Targeting recipient antigen presenting cells with sialic acid modified alloantigen to promote transplantation tolerance. Total: £280,000. Co-investigator.

    Rosetrees Trust (Jan 2015- Jan 2018) Prolonging transplant organ survival using a novel immune based (extracellular vesicle) therapy. Total: £60,000. Principle Investigator.

    British Heart Foundation programme grant (2008 and 2013, £1.2 and £1.5 million respectively). Named Research Fellow.

    TEL grant (KCL) to test the efficiency of ‘Camtasia’ and ‘PollEverywhere’ within the context of Immunology. Total: £800.

    UEL QR funding (May-July 2023). Total £16,000. Principle Investigator.

    UEL funded MRes studentship, UEL (Sept 19-Sept 21). Total: £12,000. Principle Investigator.

    Research Sabbatical Award. UEL (2019). Total: £4,950.

    Early career research award. UEL (2019). Total: £2,250.

    Early career research award. UEL (2018). Total: £1,000.

    UEL HSB School funded 3-year PhD studentship UEL, (Feb 2016- Feb 2019). Targeting recipient antigen presenting cells with sialic acid modified alloantigen to promote transplantation tolerance. Total: £60,000. Principle Investigator.

  • Conferences

    Conferences - Chair and Program Organiser

    UKEV ECR meeting, online (2020). Co-organiser and chair.

    UKEV Annual Conference, London (2019). Chair for session entitled: Immunological mechanisms.

    British Society of Immunology Annual Conference, Liverpool (2010). Co-organiser, and Chair, of session entitled: Chemokines and intercellular communication in immune regulation.

    UK-Russia Workshop, Extracellular vesicles-mechanisms of biogenesis and roles in disease pathogenesis (2015). Chair for session entitled: Extracellular vesicles in immunology and pathogens.

    European Immunology Congress, Vienna (2015). Poster Session organiser for the ‘Tregs in Immune Regulation’ poster session.

    Posters

    IBMS Congress (2019). Poster Title: Evaluation of the prevalence of 52 kDa Ro/SS-A autoantibodies in a cohort of patient sera. Aisha Bisimwa, Diane MacDonald, Lesley Smyth, Chris Scott.

    Diabetes UK professional Conference (Liverpool, 2019). Poster Title: Immunomodulatory and anti-diabetic actions of a structurally-modified analogue of Esculentin-2Cha. W. A. Ofosu, T. Mayes, Nabila K. K. K., M. Sen, L. Smyth, O. Corcoran, Y.H.A Abdel-Wahab, P.R. Flatt and O.O. Ojo).

    Diabetes UK professional Conference (London, 2018). Poster Title: Chronic effects of [L28K]Esculentin-2CHa on insulin secretion from BRIN-BD11 cells and the generation of immune responses in mouse bone marrow dendritic cells (BM-DC). Ofosu WA, Khalilizada F, Gbadamosi I, Sen M, Smyth L, Corcoran O and Ojo OO.

    International Congress of Endocrinology (Cape Town, 2018). Poster Title: Actions of [L28K]-substituted analogue of Esculentin-2CHa on insulin secretion from clonal pancreatic beta cells and immune responses in mouse bone marrow dendritic cells (BM-DC). Ofosu WA, Khalilizada F, Gbadamosi I, Sen M, Smyth L, Corcoran O and Ojo OO.

    British Society of Immunology Annual Conference (Glasgow, Dec 2017). Poster Title: Targeting recipient antigen presenting cells with sialic acid modified alloantigen to promote transplantation tolerance.

    European Congress in Immunology (Vienna, 2015). Poster Title: Regulatory T cells modify miRNA expression dendritic cells, leading to immune modulation.

    British Society of Immunology Annual Conference (Glasgow, 2008) in the Innate immune signalling and viral infection session, Poster Title; The Relative efficiency of acquisition of MHC:peptide complexes and cross-presentation depends on dendritic cell type.

    Keystone Symposia on Intracellular and Intercellular signalling in dendritic cell function. (2008) Poster Title: The Relative efficiency of acquisition of MHC:peptide complexes and cross-presentation depends on dendritic cell type.

    7th International Conference on new trends in immunosuppression and immunotherapy (Berlin 2006). Poster Title: Expression of A1 in endothelial cells creates a protective barrier against T cell mediated apoptosis.

    Cold Spring Harbour meeting on Programmed cell death (2003). Poster Title: Fas signalling in endothelial cells.

    Gordon Conference Immunochemistry and Immunobiology (Italy, 1999). Poster Title: Altered peptide ligand (APL) signalling in primary thymocytes.

    13th European Immunology Congress (Amsterdam, 1997). Poster Title: Altered peptide ligand (APL) signalling in primary thymocytes.

    12th European Immunology Congress (Barcelona, 1994). Poster Title: Immunological tolerance to a mammary gland-specific transgenic protein.

    Oral presentations

    Extracellular Vesicles in Biomedicine, Universidad De Los Andres , Chile (2023). Talk title: T cell EVs and transplant tolerance.

    Extracellular Vesicles in Biomedicine, Universidad De La Frontera, Chile (2023). Talk title: Role of EVs and transplant tolerance/rejection.

    Virtual Workshop: Extracellular Vesicles in Biomedicine, Chile (2021). Talk title: T cell EVs and transplant tolerance.

    Transplant Society Annual Meeting. Extracellular Vesicles in Transplantation (2020). Talk title: Characterisation and analysis of regulatory T-cell exosomes.

    University of Essex, research seminar (2020). Talk title: EVs in transplant tolerance.

    UKEV, London (2019) Talk Title: B lymphocytes contribute to indirect pathway T cell sensitisation via acquisition of extracellular vesicles.

    European Immunology Congress, Amsterdam (2018) Talk Title: Targeting recipient antigen presenting cells with sialic acid modified alloantigen to promote transplantation tolerance.

    SelectBio Cambridge (2017). Talk Title: Characterisation and analysis of Human regulatory T-cell exosomes.

    UK-EV forum, Oxford (2016). Extracellular Vesicles. Talk title: Characterisation and analysis of regulatory T-cell exosomes.

    UK-Russia Workshop, Extracellular vesicles-mechanisms of biogenesis and roles in disease pathogenesis (2015). Talk Title: Activating and suppressive effects of exosomes in immune responses.

    Journees Scientifiques De L’universite de Nantes, In vivo cell tracking for Oncology (2014). Talk Title: Whole body imaging of adoptively transferred regulatory T cells, Lessons learnt so far!

    International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) Conference, Gothenburg (2014). Talk Title: Intercellular transfer of regulatory T cell specific microRNA to dendritic cells via exosomes.

    Keystone Symposia on Understanding Dendritic cell biology to advance disease therapies, Keystone (2013). Talk Title: Intercellular transfer of regulatory T cell specific microRNA to dendritic cells leads to modulation of dendritic cell function.

    International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) Conference, Gothenburg (2012). Talk Title: CD73 expression on CD4+25+ T cell derived exosomes induces suppression.

    British Society of Immunology Annual Conference, Liverpool (2010). Talk Title: CD4+25+ T cell produce ‘regulatory’ exosomes following TCR activation.

    EurosciCon meeting “Understanding dendritic cells and their ability to regulate immune responses” (2010). Talk Title: Intercellular transfer of MHC:peptide complexes in vivo.

    Keystone Symposia on Intracellular and Intercellular signalling in dendritic cell function. (2008). Talk Title: The Relative efficiency of acquisition of MHC:peptide complexes and cross-presentation depends on dendritic cell type.

    Les Embiez (1998). Talk Title: Altered peptide ligands induce quantitatively but not qualitatively different intracellular signals in primary thymocytes.

    12th European Immunology Congress, Barcelona (1994). Talk Title: Immunological tolerance to a mammary gland-specific transgenic protein.

  • Research degree supervision

    • The biological role of immune based extracellular vesicles (EVs) in inflammation and cancer.
    • Translational aspects of EVs; designing novel cell free immunotherapies for inflammation resolution.
    • Assessing novel natural peptides to create immune tolerance.

Courses taught on