skip to content
Home

An Interdisciplinary Research Centre at the University of Cambridge
 

Infectious Disease Talks

Subscribe to Infectious Disease Talks feed
Talks related to infectious diseases
URL: http://talks.cam.ac.uk/show/index/29729
Updated: 57 min 21 sec ago

Wed 31 May 12:00: Improving surveillance and software for epidemic response

Fri, 26/05/2023 - 09:42
Improving surveillance and software for epidemic response

COVID -19 spurred a range of new data and analysis efforts, many of which could be valuable for future epidemics and pandemics. This talk will use a draw on a range of examples to discuss opportunities in surveillance and software. In particular, it will cover analysis of testing from arriving travellers to reconstruct international pandemic dynamics, focusing on French Polynesia and Singapore during COVID -19. It will also cover efforts to improve the sustainability and interoperability of outbreaks analysis tools, covering lessons from the real-time response to COVID -19, as well as recent work in the new ‘Epiverse’ initiative.

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Wed 31 May 12:00: Improving surveillance and software for epidemic response

Fri, 26/05/2023 - 09:42
Improving surveillance and software for epidemic response

COVID -19 spurred a range of new data and analysis efforts, many of which could be valuable for future epidemics and pandemics. This talk will use a draw on a range of examples to discuss opportunities in surveillance and software. In particular, it will cover analysis of testing from arriving travellers to reconstruct international pandemic dynamics, focusing on French Polynesia and Singapore during COVID -19. It will also cover efforts to improve the sustainability and interoperability of outbreaks analysis tools, covering lessons from the real-time response to COVID -19, as well as recent work in the new ‘Epiverse’ initiative.

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Wed 15 Nov 13:00: Gene-based vaccines to combat bacterial diseases, hurdles and opportunities’ Canceled - to be re-scheduled

Mon, 22/05/2023 - 09:48
Gene-based vaccines to combat bacterial diseases, hurdles and opportunities’

With the recent success of adenoviral vaccines against Ebola and SARS -CoV-2, the potential of this platform in the fight against outbreak pathogens is being realised. This technology has proven impact in high income countries and is also suitable for large scale manufacture and use in low-and-middle income countries, as demonstrated by the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine against SARS -CoV-2. The potential of viral-vectors to induce T Helper type 1 and high antibody responses in humans makes the use of this approach attractive in efforts to combat the disease and disability caused by bacterial pathogens. However, the case for their use in bacterial vaccines is less clear: the expression of a bacterial protein in a eukaryotic cell may impact on the antigen localization, induce unwanted glycosylation or affect protein conformation, and this is also true if using the mRNA vaccine platform. The potential and challenges of adenoviral vectors was explored against two bacterial diseases, capsular group B meningococcus and the plague. While all antigens and combinations were able to induce high antibody responses after a single dose immunisation in mice, not all were able to induce functional antibodies. We show that a subset of outer membrane proteins from Gram-negative bacteria can be incorporated into gene-based vectors for novel vaccine development. While our work highlights the challenges inherent in developing novel vaccines using this technology and can be applied to mRNA, the successful progression of two novel bacterial vaccines to clinical development underlines the potential of these platforms for vaccine development against bacterial diseases.

Canceled - to be re-scheduled

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Wed 24 May 12:00: Approximating First Passage and Peak Timing Distributions for Epidemics

Thu, 18/05/2023 - 14:19
Approximating First Passage and Peak Timing Distributions for Epidemics

Understanding the timing of the peak of a disease outbreak is an important part of epidemic forecasting. The time taken for an outbreak to become large is inherently stochastic, however, the disease dynamics can be well approximated by a deterministic model once a sufficient number of cases is reached. We present analytic and numerical methods for approximating the distribution of times at which a given number of cases is reached using a branching process model, known as the First Passage Time (FPT) distribution. Once a threshold number of cases, which we denote Z^*, has been reached, we project the FPT distribution forward in time using a deterministic model in order to obtain the peak timing distribution. Importantly, our results require a fraction of the computational cost of running full Monte Carlo Simulations. We begin with a simple SIR model and extend the results to include more general multitype models.

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Mon 18 Sep 16:30: Multireceptor targeting of the glioma microenvironment

Mon, 15/05/2023 - 14:11
Multireceptor targeting of the glioma microenvironment

John H. Rossmeisl is the Dr. and Mrs. Dorsey Taylor Mahin Endowed Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery at Virginia Tech. He received the DVM degree from Auburn University, an MS in molecular biology from Virginia Tech, and is board certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) in the specialties of small animal internal medicine and neurology. He holds joint appointments in the Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Virginia Tech-Wake Forest University School of Biomedical Engineering. Dr. Rossmeisl has worked for more than 20 years on elucidating the mechanisms that drive the formation of brain tumors, developing novel systems for the delivery of drugs to the brain, and conducting clinical trials in companion animals with brain cancers. He has published more than 200 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. His research on brain tumors has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Focused Ultrasound Foundation, American Brain Tumor Association, American Kennel Club, and numerous private foundations. He serves on several national research advisory boards, including the National Cancer Institute’s Comparative Brain Tumor Consortium Steering Committee, and is a past-president of the ACVIM specialty of neurology.

Chaired by Dr Paul Freeman

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Wed 18 Sep 16:30: Multireceptor targeting of the glioma microenvironment

Fri, 12/05/2023 - 16:04
Multireceptor targeting of the glioma microenvironment

John H. Rossmeisl is the Dr. and Mrs. Dorsey Taylor Mahin Endowed Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery at Virginia Tech. He received the DVM degree from Auburn University, an MS in molecular biology from Virginia Tech, and is board certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) in the specialties of small animal internal medicine and neurology. He holds joint appointments in the Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Virginia Tech-Wake Forest University School of Biomedical Engineering. Dr. Rossmeisl has worked for more than 20 years on elucidating the mechanisms that drive the formation of brain tumors, developing novel systems for the delivery of drugs to the brain, and conducting clinical trials in companion animals with brain cancers. He has published more than 200 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. His research on brain tumors has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Focused Ultrasound Foundation, American Brain Tumor Association, American Kennel Club, and numerous private foundations. He serves on several national research advisory boards, including the National Cancer Institute’s Comparative Brain Tumor Consortium Steering Committee, and is a past-president of the ACVIM specialty of neurology.

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Wed 18 Sep 16:30: Multireceptor targeting of the glioma microenvironment

Fri, 12/05/2023 - 15:59
Multireceptor targeting of the glioma microenvironment

Abstract not available

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Wed 17 May 16:00: Three proteins walk into a "var"…

Thu, 11/05/2023 - 09:20
Three proteins walk into a "var"…

Antigenic variation is used by the most virulent malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, to evade the human immune system. The most important variant surface antigen is encoded by a family of ~60 var genes that are expressed in a mutually exclusive fashion to ensure a sustained infection. In this epigenetically-regulated process, all var genes are compacted into silent chromatin clusters at the nuclear periphery. Singular var gene activation is concomitant with chromatin decompaction and separation into an ‘activation center’. While the basic epigenetic signatures of silent versus active var genes are known, much remains to be discovered about how they are regulated and organized within the nucleus. To identify new proteins involved in this process, we recently purified the var gene promoter using immunoprecipitation with an enzymatically inactive Cas9 coupled with mass spectrometry. We identified a protein complex including an ApiAP2 transcription factor, a putative microorchidia family protein (MORC), and acetyl CoA synthetase (ACAS). Chromatin immunoprecipitation and sequencing confirmed that these proteins bind together and, more specifically, at the promoters of var genes found in subtelomeric regions. Inducible knockdown followed by differential expression analysis showed that the members of this complex are involved in controlling mutually exclusive expression of the var gene family. Ongoing work seeks to understand the role of these proteins in var gene regulation and organization and investigates a potential link to parasite metabolism.

This is a hybrid talk. Zoom link

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Wed 18 Sep 16:00: Multireceptor targeting of the glioma microenvironment

Wed, 10/05/2023 - 16:42
Multireceptor targeting of the glioma microenvironment

Abstract not available

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Wed 10 May 16:00: The role of small non-coding RNAs in Strongyloides parasitism

Wed, 10/05/2023 - 15:03
The role of small non-coding RNAs in Strongyloides parasitism

Small non-coding RNAs are involved in posttranscriptional regulation of genes and transposable elements. They have two possible roles in parasitism: (i) regulation of endogenous transcripts with a direct role in parasitism or other aspects of the parasitic life cycle, and (ii) they are secreted into the host where they target and regulate host transcripts, for the benefit of the parasite. We have investigated both roles of small non-coding RNAs in the gastrointestinal parasites Strongyloides ratti and S. venezuelensis. Families of putative small-interfering RNA are predicted to have roles in reproductive biology and regulating transposable element activity. We have also identified Strongyloides-derived small RNAs secreted in exosome-like vesicles into the host and taken up by intestinal epithelial cells. These secreted small non-coding RNAs are predicted to target host genes and manipulate the host peristalsis response. Secreted small non-coding RNAs are detectable in host faeces and have potential as a disease biomarker.

This is a hybrid talk – Zoom link

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Wed 31 May 16:00: Mitigating zoonotic risk from bats in rural Kenya

Wed, 10/05/2023 - 12:21
Mitigating zoonotic risk from bats in rural Kenya

Abstract not available

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Wed 31 May 16:00: Mitigating zoonotic risk from bats in rural Kenya

Tue, 09/05/2023 - 17:28
Mitigating zoonotic risk from bats in rural Kenya

Abstract not available

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Wed 17 May 12:00: Warwick-Lancaster global COVID-19 model

Tue, 09/05/2023 - 16:38
Warwick-Lancaster global COVID-19 model

As the world recovers from the acute phase of the Covid-19 pandemic, a key issue is how to avert future large waves of hospitalisations and deaths driven by novel SARS -CoV-2 variants. Vaccination booster campaigns play an important role in maintaining the level of immunity in the population and reducing the risk of severe outcomes in infected individuals. In this talk, we present research commissioned by the WHO SAGE Covid-19 Working Group. We consider a wave of infections caused by a novel SARS -CoV-2 variant, and investigate the effects of deploying booster vaccines according to six different age-based prioritisation strategies. We use eight different exemplar countries from around the world as test cases, chosen to cover a range of socioeconomic backgrounds. The aim is to identify which vaccine targeting strategies are most beneficial in terms of reducing infection and severe outcomes of infection, given a limited number of available booster vaccines. This work extends earlier research conducted when the level of both infection- and vaccination-derived immunity was lower than it is now. In all countries considered, we show that prioritising the eldest and most vulnerable individuals for booster vaccination first is expected to lead to the best public health outcomes (e.g. fewest deaths). Assuming sufficient vaccine supply, serology-informed booster vaccination strategies are predicted to be of limited benefit compared to simply vaccinating the most vulnerable individuals in the population. We hope that this research is useful for guiding booster vaccination strategies in countries worldwide.

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Wed 31 May 12:00: Mitigating zoonotic risk from bats in rural Kenya

Tue, 09/05/2023 - 14:17
Mitigating zoonotic risk from bats in rural Kenya

Abstract not available

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Wed 17 May 16:00: Three proteins walk into a "var"…

Fri, 05/05/2023 - 15:08
Three proteins walk into a "var"…

Antigenic variation is used by the most virulent malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, to evade the human immune system. The most important variant surface antigen is encoded by a family of ~60 var genes that are expressed in a mutually exclusive fashion to ensure a sustained infection. In this epigenetically-regulated process, all var genes are compacted into silent chromatin clusters at the nuclear periphery. Singular var gene activation is concomitant with chromatin decompaction and separation into an ‘activation center’. While the basic epigenetic signatures of silent versus active var genes are known, much remains to be discovered about how they are regulated and organized within the nucleus. To identify new proteins involved in this process, we recently purified the var gene promoter using immunoprecipitation with an enzymatically inactive Cas9 coupled with mass spectrometry. We identified a protein complex including an ApiAP2 transcription factor, a putative microorchidia family protein (MORC), and acetyl CoA synthetase (ACAS). Chromatin immunoprecipitation and sequencing confirmed that these proteins bind together and, more specifically, at the promoters of var genes found in subtelomeric regions. Inducible knockdown followed by differential expression analysis showed that the members of this complex are involved in controlling mutually exclusive expression of the var gene family. Ongoing work seeks to understand the role of these proteins in var gene regulation and organization and investigates a potential link to parasite metabolism.

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Wed 10 May 16:00: The role of small non-coding RNAs in Strongyloides parasitism

Wed, 03/05/2023 - 10:18
The role of small non-coding RNAs in Strongyloides parasitism

Small non-coding RNAs are involved in posttranscriptional regulation of genes and transposable elements. They have two possible roles in parasitism: (i) regulation of endogenous transcripts with a direct role in parasitism or other aspects of the parasitic life cycle, and (ii) they are secreted into the host where they target and regulate host transcripts, for the benefit of the parasite. We have investigated both roles of small non-coding RNAs in the gastrointestinal parasites Strongyloides ratti and S. venezuelensis. Families of putative small-interfering RNA are predicted to have roles in reproductive biology and regulating transposable element activity. We have also identified Strongyloides-derived small RNAs secreted in exosome-like vesicles into the host and taken up by intestinal epithelial cells. These secreted small non-coding RNAs are predicted to target host genes and manipulate the host peristalsis response. Secreted small non-coding RNAs are detectable in host faeces and have potential as a disease biomarker.

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Wed 03 May 16:00: The deafening silence of Plasmodium falciparum asymptomatic infections

Fri, 28/04/2023 - 15:17
The deafening silence of Plasmodium falciparum asymptomatic infections

Malaria in The Gambia is seasonal, with virtually all cases occurring during or just after the four month-long wet season. As there is very little transmission during the dry season, the reservoir for Plasmodium falciparum parasites is thought to be within asymptomatic chronic infections. How the parasite can survive in the same human host for more than 8 months is not understood. Here we first conducted a longitudinal study in 1500 participants in the Upper River Region of The Gambia from 2014 to 2017 over 16 timepoints. In total, 436 P. falciparum positive samples, mainly from asymptomatic infections, were successfully genotyped with 89 SNPs. Average identity by descent (IBD) between different infection genotypes was very low even within a single local village, but isolates from the same household were 3 times more likely to be genetically related than those from elsewhere within the village. Parasites isolated during the dry seasons showed higher IBD relatedness to those from the previous wet season than to the following one, showing that haplotype diversity is renewed during every wet season. Secondly, we recruited 17 carriers who remained asymptomatically infected with P.falciparum for over 6 months during the dry season. Using long-read and short-read sequencing technologies, the parasite genome and transcriptome of these parasites is being characterised at each monthly timepoint, with a particular focus on variant surface antigens (var/rif/stevor)

To join the meeting online, click on this zoom link

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Thu 18 May 12:30: New trends in Immuno-Oncology - towards personalised cancer treatment

Thu, 27/04/2023 - 10:34
New trends in Immuno-Oncology - towards personalised cancer treatment

Markus Zettl, PhD has more than 15 years experience in research and development in the area of Immuno-Oncology bringing multiple drug candidates to the clinic as well as providing preclinical and translational support for Phase 1 to 2 clinical studies. Before joining CureVac as Vice President leading the Oncology Research & Development organisation, he worked at Boehringer Ingelheim and the mid-size Pieris Pharmaceuticals. Furthermore, he held academic positions at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) Cambridge and performed his Ph.D at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Heidelberg and CRUK , London. Throughout his career he published several high impact publications including Cell and Science and is an inventor on multiple patents.

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Tue 23 May 12:30: Coping with the stress of studying novel human DNA replication deficiency disorders

Thu, 27/04/2023 - 10:34
Coping with the stress of studying novel human DNA replication deficiency disorders

Abstract not available

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Tue 02 May 12:30: Molecular Memories

Thu, 27/04/2023 - 10:34
Molecular Memories

Abstract not available

Add to your calendar or Include in your list

Contact us

 

Study at Cambridge

About the University

Research at Cambridge