18 March 2021, Online
The Comparative and Veterinary Immunology Group of the BSI organised a virtual T cell Biology Conference in conjunction with the UK and International Veterinary Vaccinology Networks. This T cell biology meeting was originally scheduled to take place in Edinburgh in April 2020 but was postponed because of the pandemic and was now re-organised virtually.
There were 170 delegates in attendance from 28 different countries. The virtual platform had many features to help delegates network with peers and collaborators. There was an innovative speed networking area – where delegates were paired randomly with one another for a quick informal chat; a coffee lounge area where delegates were able to meet and network during the breaks in addition to two themed lunch time chat rooms. Posters were also available for viewing and live chat with the presenters.
There was an exceptional line-up of speakers and delegates were able to ask questions during their talks using the chat function. We learned a lot about mucosal immunity and the importance of local surveillance at the site of entry of pathogens. Annette Oxenius showed that both local lung tissue resident memory CD8 T cells induced by influenza virus and perivascular inflationary effector memory CD8 T cells induced by MCMV are able to reduce viral load following pulmonary challenge. Ann Ager described an additional role of L selectin (CD62L) in homing of primed T cells to sites of virus infection. Activated T cells re-express L-selectin, which is downregulated following migration into inflamed/infected tissues. David Masopust elegantly demonstrated that we are only just beginning to understand the enormous heterogeneity and plasticity of tissue resident memory T cells (TRM). He also showed that TRM can survive and proliferate almost indefinitely in cell transfer experiments.
Gregers Jungersen demonstrated that with the right adjuvant one can tailor vaccines to make a desired immune response and target the vaccine induced cells to the right tissue in mice, pigs and humans. Jim Kaufman discussed the properties of the chicken MHC and explained that mammals have similar generalist (promiscuous) and specialist (fastidious) alleles which may be associated with protection against disease and might be harnessed for selective breeding in veterinary species.
Crystal Loving used single cell RNA sequencing to identify the similarities between pig and human lymphocyte subsets. Her talk showed that tools for understanding the swine immune system are approaching the sophistication of those used to study humans and mice. Lynda Saif used gnotobiotic piglets, which are susceptible to human rotavirus to probe the effect of probiotics and malnutrition on immune responses to infection and vaccination against this virus, which causes devastating disease in children from developing countries. Finally, Alessandro Sette described the duration and specificity of human T cell immune responses to SARS-CoV2, providing encouragement that second generation vaccines with more viral components may provide lifesaving cross-protective immunity.
Over lunch there were two themed chat rooms where attendees discussed how to cope with the effects of Covid on their wellbeing and scientific career. In the second open forum delegates were invited to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of large animal models to study T cell immunity, covering aspects such as lymph cannulation and trafficking studies in large animals. The limitations in these species were also highlighted including the availability of antibodies for the identification of immune-related molecules. There was a good turnout for the discussions and delegates were keen for future workshops or conferences to highlight reagents and new technologies to enhance research in veterinary species.
A poster session saw twelve delegates present their current research in the area of T cell biology. Ester Gea-MallorquÍ (University of Oxford) was awarded the top poster prize on her research in “Adaptive immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 in the setting of HIV infection” while George E. Finney (University of Glasgow), was awarded runner up prize for his research on “Investigating the role of IFN-γ in the regulation of lung T cell and stromal cell-communication post-IAV infection”.
The International Veterinary Vaccine Network sponsored scientists from LMIC countries such as, Solomon Jauro, who found “The meeting was so rich; all the speakers were so good, and the level of science was in-depth. It was really a privilege to be one of the attendees, and the presentations have really widened my scope” (CVIG Twitter page).
We would like to thank Miltenyi Biotec, the principal sponsor of the BSI Regional and Affinity Groups’ events and the UK and International veterinary vaccinology networks (IVVN and VVN) for their support and partnership in our Frontiers in Comparative Immunology series meetings.
Huge thank you to the BSI staff, Jane Sessenwein, Tracey Sheehan and Tracy Symons and Rebecca McRobb from The Business Narrative who took care of every possible detail in organising and running the meeting.
CVIG committee: Amanda Gibson, Kate Sutton, Rebecca McLean, Wilhelm Gerner, Lindert Benedictus, Elma Tchilian
25 March 2021