Rachel Tanner

Rachel Tanner

Associate Professor 

Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, UK

Email: rachel.tanner@biology.ox.ac.uk

 

 

 

 

VALIDATE Role:

Network Management Board member 2018-2021, VALIDATE Fellow 2018-2021, Network Investigator

 

Research Keywords: 

TB, Vaccine, Immunology, Correlates of Protection

 

Biography:

My research is concerned with tuberculosis (TB) in humans and cattle, with a focus on vaccine design and evaluation, taking a One Health approach that considers the interaction between humans, animals and the environment. In particular, I am interested in immune mechanisms/correlates of protection, characterising the specific and non-specific antibody responses to TB vaccines, and novel antigen discovery. I currently have projects exploring the effect of climate change on environmental mycobacteria, and the development of functional ex vivo models for high-throughput vaccine screening that align with the principles of the 3Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement) for the use of animals in scientific procedures.

 

Related Websites: 

 

Key Publications:

  • Tanner R, O’Shea MK, White AD, Müller J, Harrington-Kandt R, Matsumiya M, Dennis MJ, Parizotto EA, Harris S, Stylianou E, Naranbhai V, Bettencourt P, Drakesmith H, Sharpe S, Fletcher HA, McShane H. The influence of haemoglobin and iron on in vitro mycobacterial growth inhibition assays. Sci Rep. 2017 Mar 3;7:43478.
  • Tanner R, McShane H. Replacing, reducing and refining the use of animals in tuberculosis vaccine research. ALTEX. 2017;34(1):157-166.
  • Tanner R, O'Shea MK, Fletcher HA, McShane H. In vitro mycobacterial growth inhibition assays: A tool for the assessment of protective immunity and evaluation of tuberculosis vaccine efficacy. Vaccine. 2016 Aug 12. pii: S0264-410X(16)30656-9.
  • Fletcher H, Snowden M, Landry B, Rida W, Satti I, Harris S, Matsumiya M, Tanner R, O’Shea M, Dheenadhayalan V, Bogardus L, Stockdale L, Marsay L, Chomka A, Harrington-Kandt R, Manjaly Thomas ZR, Naranbhai V, Stylianou E, Darboe F, Penn Nicholson A, McShane H, et al. T-cell activation is an immune correlate of risk in BCG vaccinated infants. Nature Communications. 2016 April 12. Article number: 11290.
  • Tanner R, Kakalacheva K, Miller E, Pathan AA, Chalk R, Sander CR, Scriba T, Tameris M, Hawkridge T, Mahomed H, Hussey G, Hanekom W, Checkley A, McShane H, Fletcher HA. Serum indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase activity is associated with reduced immunogenicity following vaccination with MVA85A. BMC Infect Dis. 2014 Dec 3;14(1):660.
  • Fletcher HA, Tanner R, Wallis RS, Meyer J, Manjaly ZR, Harris S, Satti I, Silver RF, Hoft D, Kampmann B, Walker KB, Dockrell HM, Fruth U, Barker L, Brennan MJ, McShane H. Inhibition of mycobacterial growth in vitro following primary but not secondary vaccination with Mycobacterium bovis BCG. Clin Vaccine Immunol. 2013 Nov; 20(11):1683-9.