Non-conventional T cells in health and disease

Non-conventional T lymphocytes are cells of the immune system that bridge the innate and adaptive immune system and are important sentinels against pathogens at mucosal surfaces. These non-conventional T cells are not restricted by classical MHC and include mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT), gamma delta γδ and natural killer (NK) T cells. They display several features associated with innate immune cells and are rapidly activated by recognition of conserved, stress-induced, self, and microbial ligands. We will bring together experts in mouse, farm animal and human immunology to discuss the role of these cells in health and disease.

This meeting is organised by the Comparative Veterinary Immunology Group (CVIG), an Affinity Group of the British Society for Immunology in conjunction with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) UK Veterinary Vaccinology Network (UK VVN). CVIG and the UK VVN have a shared vision that this meeting will advance our knowledge and understanding of non-conventional T cells and stimulate new cross collaborations.

This meeting will be held on 11 January 2019 as a satellite of the joint International Veterinary Vaccinology Network (IVVN) and the UK VVN meeting, which is taking place on 9-10 January at the Tower Hotel, London. You are welcome to attend both meetings but you have to register separately for each.

Programme

08:15 - 09:00 Registration and welcome tea and coffee

Immune surveillance by γδ, MHC-E restricted and iNK cells (part 1)

• 09:00 Cynthia Baldwin (University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA) - Bovine γδ T-cell
• 09:30 Adrian Smith (University of Oxford, UK) - Avian γδ T-cell
• 10:00 Adrian Hayday (Francis Crick Institute, UK) - Development and regulation of γδ
• 10:30 Ben Willcox (University of Birmingham, UK) - γδ cells in disease

11:00 -11:30:  Tea/coffee

Immune surveillance by γδ,  MHC-E restricted and iNK cells (part 2)

• 11:30 Janice Telfer (University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA) - Mutigenic SRCR receptor arrays determine the gamma delta T cell response to pathogens
• 12:00 Andrew McMichael (University of Oxford, UK) - MHC-E restricted cells
• 12:30 Patricia Barral (Francis Crick Institute, UK) - iNKT and microbiota

13:00 -14:00: Lunch

NK cells in health and disease

• 14:00 Kerstin Mair (University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria) - Porcine NK cells
• 14:30 Dimitra Peppa (University of Oxford, UK) - NK cells in HIV
• 15:00 Jayne Hope (Roslin Institute, UK) - Bovine NK cells in tuberculosis

15:30 – 16:00: Tea/coffee

MAIT cells across species

• 16:00 Paul Klenerman (University of Oxford, UK) - MAITs and their mates
• 16:30 Olivier Lantz (Institut Curie, France) - MAITs cells across species
• 17:00 Mariolina Salio (University of Oxford, UK) - Ligand-dependent modulation of MR1-restricted antigen presentation

17:30: Wrap up – closing remarks

Registration

Online registration is now open. You can join the BSI online - membership provides many benefits to help you progress your career. Undergraduate membership is free. There is also information on travel grants available to assist with the costs of attending this conference below. 

Fees

*  Early careers includes scientists employed as post-doctoral researchers, for the first 5 years post graduation.
** Concessionary includes Parental leave, Career Breaks, Retired, Emeritus Retired.

Travel grants

The UK Veterinary Vaccinology Network is offering a second round of travel grants worth £150 to early career researchers to attend this meeting. These additional scholarships provide an excellent opportunity for early career researchers to learn all about the latest developments in the field of non-conventional T cells. The application deadline for this second round is 15:00 GMT, Thursday 3rd January 2019. You can find out more details and how to apply on the VVN website.  

Sponsors

The meeting organisers would like to thank the following sponsors for their support.

If you would like to enquire about sponsorship opportunities, please email Jane Sessenwein.