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Taming the devil: a game based approach to teaching immunology

- Nankervis, Scott, Meredith, Grant, Vamplew, Peter, Fotinatos, Nina

  • Authors: Nankervis, Scott , Meredith, Grant , Vamplew, Peter , Fotinatos, Nina
  • Date: 2012
  • Type: Text , Conference paper
  • Relation: ascilite 2012: Future challenges, sustainable futures
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  • Description: Immunology is a complex field requiring rapid memorisation of numerous components. An indepth understanding of cellular and molecular biology is required before even moderately advanced concepts can be taught. We sought methods that actively engage students and help develop new knowledge and consolidate existing concepts to support lectures. We created an interactive and entertaining prototype immunology computer game as a tool for learning and revision, with the ability to interactively cover course content outside of class that modern learners expect. Our prototype appears to be a successful study aid when used additionally to attendance at lectures. We seek to continue the development of the game in a higher education context, but also produce a modified version for a secondary school context, in an effort to raise the profile of this key health area and promote learning for the future through the study of the sciences prior to students entering higher education.

A roadmap to generate renewable protein binders to the human proteome

- Colwill, Karen, Persson, Helena, Jarvik, Nicholas, Wyrzucki, Arkadiusz, Wojcik, John, Koide, Akiko, Kossiakoff, Anthony, Koide, Shohei, Sidhu, Sachdev, Dyson, Michael, Pershad, Kritika, Pavlovic, John, Karatt-Vellatt, Aneesh, Schofield, Darren, Kay, Brian, McCafferty, John, Mersmann, Michael, Meier, Doris, Mersmann, Jana, Helmsing, Saskia, Hust, Michael, Dubel, Stefan, Berkowicz, Susan, Freemantle, Alexia, Spiegel, Michael, Sawyer, Alan, Layton, Daniel, Nice, Edouard, Dai, Anna, Rocks, Oliver, Williton, Kelly, Fellouse, Frederic, Hersi, Kadija, Pawson, Tony, Nilsson, Peter, Sundberg, Marten, Sjoberg, Ronald, Sivertsson, Asa, Schwenk, Jochen, Takanen, Jenny, Hober, Sophia, Uhlen, Mathias, Dahlgren, Lars-Goran, Flores, Alex, Johansson, Ida, Weigelt, Johan, Crombet, Lissette, Loppnau, Peter, Kozieradzki, Ivona, Cossar, Doug, Arrowsmith, C., Edwards, Aled, Graslund, Susanne

Testing the NKT cell hypothesis in lenalidomide-treated myelodysplastic syndrome patients

- Chan, Angela, Neeson, Paul, Leeansyah, Edwin, Tainton, K., Quach, Hang, Prince, Henry, Godfrey, Dale, Ritchie, David, Berzins, Stuart

  • Authors: Chan, Angela , Neeson, Paul , Leeansyah, Edwin , Tainton, K. , Quach, Hang , Prince, Henry , Godfrey, Dale , Ritchie, David , Berzins, Stuart
  • Date: 2010
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Leukemia Vol. 24, no. 3 (2010), p. 592
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  • Description: Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) comprises a group of clonal bone marrow disorders characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis and increased predisposition to acute myeloid leukemia. The causes of MDS remain poorly defined, but several studies have reported the NKT cell compartment of patients with MDS is deficient in number and functionally defective. In support of a central role for NKT cells, a pilot clinical study reported that lenalidomide (an approved treatment for MDS) increased NKT cell numbers in patients with MDS, and several in vitro studies showed lenalidomide specifically promoted NKT cell proliferation and cytokine production. We tested this in a much larger study and confirm a moderate in vitro augmentation of some NKT cell functions by lenalidomide, but find no impact on the NKT cell compartment of patients treated with lenalidomide, despite a consistently positive clinical response. We further show that the frequency and cytokine production of NKT cells is normal in patients with MDS before treatment and remains stable throughout 10 months of lenalidomide therapy. Collectively, our data challenge the concept that NKT cell defects contribute to the development of MDS, and show that a clinical response to lenalidomide is not dependent on modulation of NKT cell frequency or function.

The immunobiology of myiasis infections--whatever happened to vaccination?

- Sandeman, Mark, Bowles, Vern, Colwell, Doug

  • Authors: Sandeman, Mark , Bowles, Vern , Colwell, Doug
  • Date: 2014
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Parasite immunology Vol. 36, no. 11 (2014), p. 605-615
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  • Description: The current state of myiasis vaccine technologies are reviewed mainly in the primary research genera of Lucilia and Hypoderma. The importance of myiasis flies as primary causes of morbidity and mortality in agricultural species and man has not diminished despite the existence of good control strategies. However, the development of vaccines against myiasis infections has been relatively quiescent for more than 10 years despite the rapid development of genomic and proteomic analysis and of skills in data interpretation. The value of vaccine research in an era of chemical primacy is analysed. In fact, recent findings of drug resistance and the impact of animal welfare concerns should mean a renewed interest in alternative controls. The reasons that this has not been true to date are explored and new possibilities discussed.

Polyclonal T-Cells Express CD1a in Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH) Lesions

- West, Jennifer, Olsen, Sharon, Mitchell, Jenée, Priddle, Ross, Luke, Jennifer, Åkefeldt, Selma Olsson, Henter, Jan-Inge, Turville, Christopher, Kannourakis, George

  • Authors: West, Jennifer , Olsen, Sharon , Mitchell, Jenée , Priddle, Ross , Luke, Jennifer , Åkefeldt, Selma Olsson , Henter, Jan-Inge , Turville, Christopher , Kannourakis, George
  • Date: 2014
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: PLoS ONE Vol. 9, no. 10 (2014), p. 1-12
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  • Description: Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a complex and poorly understood disorder that has characteristics of both inflammatory and neoplastic disease. By using eight-colour flow cytometry, we have identified a previously unreported population of CD1a+/CD3+ T-cells in LCH lesions. The expression of CD1a is regarded as a hallmark of this disease; however, it has always been presumed that it was only expressed by pathogenic Langerhans cells (LCs). We have now detected CD1a expression by a range of T-cell subsets within all of the LCH lesions that were examined, establishing that CD1a expression in these lesions is no longer restricted to pathogenic LCs. The presence of CD1a+ T-cells in all of the LCH lesions that we have studied to date warrants further investigation into their biological function to determine whether these cells are important in the pathogenesis of LCH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of PLoS ONE is the property of Public Library of Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Current status for gastrointestinal nematode diagnosis in small ruminants: where are we and where are we going?

- Preston, Sarah, Sandeman, Mark, Gonzalez, Jorge, Piedrafita, David

  • Authors: Preston, Sarah , Sandeman, Mark , Gonzalez, Jorge , Piedrafita, David
  • Date: 2014
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Journal of immunology research Vol. 2014, no. September (2014), p. Article no. 210350
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  • Description: Gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) parasites pose a significant economic burden particularly in small ruminant production systems. Anthelmintic resistance is a serious concern to the effective control of GIN parasites and has fuelled the focus to design and promote sustainable control of practices of parasite control. Many facets of sustainable GIN parasite control programs rely on the ability to diagnose infection both qualitatively and quantitatively. Diagnostics are required to determine anthelmintic efficacies, for targeted treatment programs and selection of animals for parasite resistant breeding. This review describes much of the research investigated to date to improve the current diagnostic for the above practices which is based on counting the number of parasite eggs in faeces.

Improving animal and human health through understanding liver fluke immunology

- Piedrafita, David, Spithill, Terry, Smith, Rebecca, Raadsma, Herman

  • Authors: Piedrafita, David , Spithill, Terry , Smith, Rebecca , Raadsma, Herman
  • Date: 2010
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Parasite Immunology Vol. 32, no. 8 (2010), p. 572-581
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  • Description: Sheep, goats and cattle represent the most numerous and economically important agricultural species worldwide used as sources for milk, fibre and red meat. In addition, in the developing world, these species often represent the sole asset base for small-holder livestock farmers and cattle/buffaloes often provide the majority of draught power for crop production. Production losses caused by helminth diseases of these animals are a major factor in extending the cycle of poverty in developing countries and a major food security issue for developed economies. Fasciola spp. are one of the most important zoonotic diseases with a global economic impact in livestock production systems and a poorly defined but direct effect on human health. Improvements in human and animal health will require a concerted research effort into the development of new accurate and simple diagnostic tests and increased vaccine and drug development against Fasciola infections. Here, the use of definitive natural host breeds with contrasting resistance to Fasciola infections is discussed as a resource to contrast parasite–host interactions and identify parasite immune evasion strategies. Such studies are likely to boost the discovery of new vaccine, drug and diagnostic candidates and provide the foundation for future genetic selection of resistant animals.
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