The Ulster Immunology Group (UIG) is a Regional Affiliate of the British Society for Immunology (BSI). Its objective is to provide a forum for scientists in Northern Ireland to foster common interests in the broad area of immunology. UIG is led by a small active committee that organises a monthly seminar series, periodic ad hoc symposia and annual student prizes honouring the best graduates in immunology from both Queen’s University Belfast and the University of Ulster.
The seminar series implicates local, national and international scientists invited to share their research with our members. Periodic ad hoc symposia are organised in collaboration with BSI depending on available funding. Symposium topics are selected on the basis of areas of interest to as wide a range of scientists as possible. The annual student prizes are presented to the best graduates with immunology components in their degrees. The UIG also maintains close relations with the Irish Society for Immunology, which involves collaborating on annual ISI symposia and research collaboration between our members. Individuals with interest in immunology are warmly welcome to join. Ideas for future activities are also welcome and should be forwarded to the UIG Secretary.
Ulster Best Immunology Student Award
The Annual Awards Seminar for the best undergraduate student in immunology (Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University) was held on the 18 June 2018 at Ulster University Coleraine.
The 2018 UIG student prize was sponsored by Miltenyi Biotec and was presented by Dr Silvia Merger, University College Cork, who gave this year's Annual Awards Seminar on 'An insight into the diet microbiota-immune interaction in animal models of colitis and colitis-associated cancer'. The event was hosted by Dr Philip Allsopp and Dr Emeir McSorley, Ulster University.
The Awardee for Best Student of Immunology at Queens University was Ms Claire Houton and from Ulster University was Ms Meghan Ingram. Congratulations to both!
Monthly seminar series
Venue (unless otherwise stated): Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Lecture Hall, Basement
June
Immune response and immunopathology of chronic P. aeruginosa biofilm lung infections in cystic fibrosis
Professor Niels Høiby Costerton Biofilm Centre, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Basement Seminar Room, Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine
13.00 on Tuesday 26 June 2018
Hosted by Dr Karim Dibb
An insight into the diet-microbiota-immune interaction in animal models of colitis and colitis-associated cancer
Dr. Silvia Melgar, APC Microbiome Ireland Host-Microbe and Inflammation Group University College Cork, Ireland
Room W0010, Centre for Molecular Biosciences (CMB), Coleraine Campus, BT52 1SA
13.00 on Monday 18 June 2018
Hosted by Dr Philip Allsopp
May
Gut reactions: how intestinal immune responses are regulated by integrins and TGF-beta
Dr Mark Travis, Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, University of Manchester
Basement Seminar Room, Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine
13.00 on Tuesday 8 May 2018
Hosted by Dr Denise Fitzgerald
April
Macrophages and the initiation and resolution of inflammation
Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, UK
Basement Seminar Room, Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine
13.00 on Tuesday 10 April 2018
Hosted by Dr Karim Dibb
February
Regulatory T cell homeostasis
Professor Adrian Liston, VIB-KU Leuven Centre for Brain and Disease Research, Belgium
Basement Seminar Room, Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine
13.00 on Tuesday 20 February 2018
Hosted by Dr Denise Fitzgerald
Committee
President: Denise Fitzgerald
Secretary: Karim Dib
Treasurer: Yvonne Dombrowski
Website officer: Emeir McSorley
Member: Philip Allsopp
Member: Louise Cosby
Member: Rebecca Ingram
Member: Michael McMenamy
Member: Ultan Power
Member: Bettina Schock
Member: Heping Xu