Seminars
VALIDATE 2024 Seminars - Watch Now
Leishmaniasis in the Balkans region has emerged as a significant disease in recent years. It was commonly believed that Leishmaniasis was restricted to the Mediterranean area, particularly near the Adriatic Sea coast. However, research over the past 10-15 years has shown that both the vectors and the causative pathogen have been found throughout the Balkan Peninsula, including in non-Mediterranean countries.
In this talk, Dr Sara Savić explored the spread of sand flies and Leishmaniasis across time and regions...
In this seminar, Dr. Gabriele Pollara delved into the study of IL-6 responses and their impact on human tuberculosis (TB) disease risk. Recognizing the limited understanding of how universal IL-6 responses influence TB disease, Gabriel and his team undertook a comprehensive investigation focusing on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in and near the IL-6 receptor (IL6R) gene. Utilizing a diverse array of genetic and epidemiological methodologies, their study aimed to determine whether altered IL-6 signaling was causally associated with the risk of developing TB disease. The team uncovered compelling evidence supporting their hypothesis through Mendelian randomization analyses of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) data, encompassing thousands of cases and controls across multiple ancestries.
VALIDATE Members can watch the recording on the VALIDATE Hub.
About the Speaker
Prof Gabriele Pollara is an Associate Professor in Infection at UCL, UK. His research primarily focuses on delineating the processes underlying pathological immune responses in TB disease and leprosy, as well as their associated paradoxical reactions. Using systems-level bioinformatic deconvolution of bulk- and single-cell transcriptional responses from the sites of challenge models and disease, alongside spatial transcriptomic assessments, population-level genetic epidemiology, and tractable in vitro models, his group aims to gain insights into the immunopathogenesis of these diseases.
Gabriele's overarching ambitions are to define rational therapeutic targets to attenuate tissue pathology and to explore the use of adjunctive immunomodulatory host-directed therapies in experimental medicine studies that ultimately facilitate the transition to early-phase clinical studies.
Mr Shuailin Li will discuss a study that investigated the immune response induced by aerosol-inhaled, live-attenuated Mycobacterium bovis BCG in a controlled human infection model. This study used various immunological profiling techniques, including flow cytometry, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), and T cell receptor sequencing (TCR-seq), to examine alterations in cellular composition, gene expression, and T cell responses across lung mucosa and peripheral blood compartments. The findings provide insights into the local and systemic immune dynamics, offering a comprehensive characterization of the immunological shifts and T cell repertoires elicited by aerosolized BCG exposure.
Cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania parasites exhibits a wide range of clinical manifestations. Although parasites influence disease severity, cytolytic CD8 T cell responses mediate disease. While these responses originate in the lymph node, we find that expression of the cytolytic effector molecule granzyme B is restricted to lesional CD8 T cells in Leishmania-infected mice, suggesting that local cues within inflamed skin induce cytolytic function. We recently found that Leishmania-infected lesions are hypoxic, and that the recruitment of neutrophils causes hypoxia. Notably, the hypoxic state of the infected skin results in the expression of granzyme B in CD8 T cells, resulting in more severe disease. Thus, targeting hypoxia-driven signals that support local differentiation of cytolytic CD8 T cells may improve the prognosis for patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis, as well as other inflammatory skin diseases where cytolytic CD8 T cells contribute to pathogenesis.
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About the Speaker
Dr Fernanda Novais was born in Brazil, a country where cutaneous leishmaniasis is endemic, and she has studied immunity to cutaneous leishmaniasis in mice and humans for over 20 years. Dr. Novais’ discoveries have led to (i) an understanding of how neutrophil-macrophage crosstalk promotes Leishmania killing, (ii) the identification of monocyte subsets responsible for parasite control, and (iii) a new paradigm in which CD8 T cells are pathogenic rather than protective in cutaneous leishmaniasis. Her lab is currently focused on understanding how the environmental signals from the Leishmania-inflamed skin dictate the function of immune cells.
Recently, there have been strong indications that it is possible to increase the immune response by a second dose of BCG vaccine. Thus, the BCG vaccine re-emerged to be considered based on a significant protective effect of BCG revaccination against TB and supporting its beneficial non-specific, agnostic, or heterologous effects. The latter has also been reported to reduce neonatal sepsis, respiratory tract infections, and all-cause infant mortality. In fact, the past pandemic has stimulated us and other investigators to scrutinize the effect of the BCG vaccine as a strategy to reduce severe COVID-19. Using both wild-type and variant virus sequences, we have gone through several preliminary in silico screenings, such as epitope toxicity, immunogenicity, antigenicity, MHC-I profiles, and positive response employing IFN-g production. Various BCG-vaccination schedules have been reevaluated in recent research clinical trials due to high numbers of TB cases and deaths, but the community still waiting for a convincing response about novel BCG-formulations and BCG-vaccination protocols.
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About the Speakers
Prof Paulo Antas is a Professor of Biology and a Senior Researcher. He completed both MSc and PhD at FIOCRUZ, Brazil, He is also working as Editorial Board member and Reviewer for scientific journals. He wrote Book chapters and e-books. In addition, he has been working on innate immune responses against Tuberculosis (TB) in individuals naturally exposed to Mycobacterium tuberculosis at FIOCRUZ since 2007. Since those years, he has been working in a group that develops research on the field of clinical immune response of vaccinations against human TB, especially in the cellular immunology area. Most of his scientific time is currently dedicated to studying several aspects of in vitro immune response before and after BCG vaccination, such as the involvement of inflammatory cytokines, and T cells on immune response against mycobacteria. As a result, he has accumulated significant data and thus experience in this field. In addition, he spent time working on projects related to biomarker detection in patients with extrapulmonary TB, particularly the pleuritic form, comparing them to those responses among persons with either pulmonary form or other pleural diseases. This work in Pleural TB has provided him with yet another laboratory skill set that has been complementing the skills he has gained in TB immunology thus far.
In 2016, Prof Thales A Campelo graduated in Pharmacy from the Federal University of Ceará (UFC). Additionally, he obtained a specialization in Clinical Microbiology in 2021 and a Master of Science degree in Pathology in 2018, both from Unichristus College in Ceará state (CE). Prof. Campelo's expertise is centered in the field of Microbiology, with a primary focus on Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. leprae, HPV, and molecular diagnosis of other infectious diseases, utilizing Multiplexed PCR, Nested PCR, and Real-Time PCR approaches. During the recent COVID-19 pandemic, he worked as a Clinical Analyst Pharmacist, conducting extensive qPCR tests for COVID-19 at FIOTEC/FIOCRUZ in CE. Furthermore, in 2023, Prof. Campelo had the opportunity to supervise Clinical Microbiology, Microbiological Control, and Clinical Analysis Internships in the Pharmacy program at the University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR). Currently, he is pursuing a Ph.D. in Pathology at UFC, conducting fundamental research on Sars-CoV-2 peptides intended for use in understanding the human immune response to Sars-CoV-2. In this research project, Prof. Campelo has acquired expertise in bioinformatics during the development of epitope predictions targeted towards both TCD8 and TCD4 immune responses.
Burkholderia pseudomallei, the etiologic agent of melioidosis, causes severe diseases in both humans and animals. Due to its potential misuse as a biological warfare agent, high mortality rates, and resistance to antibiotics, significant efforts have been made in the past decade to develop vaccines against melioidosis. B. pseudomallei produces several polysaccharides on its surface that are important virulence factors and major targets of the immune response. Leveraging their expertise in synthetic carbohydrate chemistry, Charles Gauthier and Maude Cloutier’s group has been at the forefront of developing mimics of the main polysaccharides produced by B. pseudomallei, namely lipopolysaccharide O-antigen (LPS OAg), capsular polysaccharide, and exopolysaccharide.
In this seminar, Charles and Maude describe their endeavor toward the development of semi-synthetic glycoconjugate vaccines against melioidosis, focusing on our most promising results involving B. pseudomallei LPS OAg mimics.
About the Speakers
Dr Charles Gauthier completed his PhD in natural products chemistry at the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (2008), followed by postdoctoral fellowships in carbohydrate chemistry at the Institut Pasteur in Paris (2010) and in chemobiology at the University of Oxford in United Kingdom (2011). After a stint as Maître de Conférences at the Université de Poitiers in France (2011-2016), Dr. Gauthier joined the Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie of the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) as Assistant Professor in 2016. He was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor in 2020 and Full Professor in 2023. His research program mainly focuses on the synthesis of microbial glycans for the development of prophylactic and therapeutic approaches. Dr. Gauthier has published over 55 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters since the start of his career and has supervised/co-supervised the work of over 55 students, trainees, and postdocs. Dr. Gauthier’s research program is funded by several national and international granting agencies, including NSERC, CIHR, NIH, and the Pasteur Network. He has received FRQS salary support as a Junior 2 and Senior Scholar. Dr. Gauthier is an active member of several national and international learned societies, including Oxford University’s VALIDATE network, GlycoNet, CRIPA, RISUQ, CISD, and CERMO-FC.
Dr Maude Cloutier obtained her BSc in chemistry from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR) in 2018 working under the guidance of Pr. Gervais Bérubé in the aim of developing new therapeutic compounds against pathological inflammation. Maude was awarded MSc scholarships from the Fonds de Recherche du Québec – Nature et Technologies (FRQNT) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) allowing her to pursue her studies in Pr. Gauthier’s group at Institut national de la recherche scientifiques (INRS) in Laval, Canada. In 2023, she completed her PhD as a Vanier Scholar in Pr. Gauthier’s group and is currently working as a postdoctoral fellow. Maude's work focuses on the total synthesis of bacterial mono- and oligosaccharide mimics as potential therapeutics and prophylactics.
The recent COVID-19 pandemic made it clear that a lot could be gained from decentralised vaccine development. Also, many diseases are localized to Low and Middle Income Countries, especially in tropical regions. However, research in immunobiologicals is costly and requires infrastructure and collaborations that are scarce in poorer countries. In this seminar Breno Beirão explores two important question, how should we tackle this, and if so, how and should we leave it in favour of investing in more basic needs of these poor communities?
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About the Speaker
Adjunct Professor Breno Castello Branco Beirão earned his Veterinary Medicine degree from the Federal University of Paraná in 2009, followed by a master's degree in Microbiology, Parasitology, and Pathology from the same university in 2011. He successfully completed his Ph.D. at the Roslin Institute/University of Edinburgh. Breno specializes in various fields, including the immune system, flow cytometry, molecular biology, basic and applied immunology, and the development of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies.
Currently, his research focuses on producing vaccines for zoonotic diseases such as ovine Orf virus, Sporothrix brasiliensis, and addressing the ongoing challenges posed by COVID-19.
In 2022, VALIDATE initiated the project: “Develop novel test for PKDL/Leprosy diagnosis”. This project, led by Prof Chatterjee, aims to address the challenge of post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) in South-East Asia. PKDL cases can harbor parasites, perpetuating the transmission cycle of the disease. The team plans to develop a field-applicable diagnostic tool, building on a validated isothermal amplification-based assay. Additionally, considering the clinical overlap between PKDL and leprosy, the project includes the development of a combined diagnostic test for both diseases. The ultimate goal is to provide a cost-effective, point-of-care diagnostic tool that can aid in monitoring and treating these neglected tropical diseases, contributing to the Kala Azar Elimination Programme and WHO Global Leprosy Strategy.
In this seminar, Mitali and Ahmed will discuss the PKDL and Leprosy field assays developed by the project and dig into the underlying science.
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About the Speakers
Prof Mitali Chatterjee is a Professor of Pharmacology at IPGMER, Kolkata, India. Mitali specializes in immunopharmacology with a focus on Leishmaniasis. Her research group has developed DNA-based assays for PKDL diagnosis and plays a central role in West Bengal's Leishmaniasis surveillance, contributing vital information on parasite load for measuring treatment effectiveness.
Dr Ahmed Abd El Wahed, received his PhD in biology from Goettingen University, Germany in 2011. He established a mobile suitcase laboratory for the rapid detection of viruses, bacteria, and parasites. His model has been deployed in several African and Asian countries. He also has a focus on epitope mapping after immunisation and vaccination to identify the best candidate for vaccines using microarrays.
VALIDATE 2023 Seminars - Watch Now
Seminar Three took place on Tuesday, December 13, 2023, at 10:00 GMT.
- The Role of Vaccination in Controlling Animal TB with Prof. Eamonn Gormley, UCD, Ireland
In the context of One Health epidemiology for M. bovis infection, managing wild animals' involvement can be challenging, often involving segregation, test-and-cull, or enhanced biosecurity. Vaccination, such as the BCG vaccine, shows promise in reducing tuberculosis burden in wildlife, as seen in badger vaccination in Ireland and the UK. In this talk, Eamonn discusses the challenges of managing wild animals' involvement in the One Health epidemiology of M. bovis infection, highlighting vaccination as a promising strategy, as exemplified by badger vaccination in Ireland and the UK. - Tip of the Iceberg: TB in South African Wildlife with Prof. Michele Miller, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Michele provided an overview of TB in wildlife in the South African context. Using a One Health approach, this talk will cover some of the underlying issues contributing to TB presence and spread within wildlife and at human-livestock-wildlife-environmental interfaces.
Seminar Two took place on Zoom, 23 November 2023 at 14:00 GMT.
There were two fascinating talks:
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Solutions against infectious diseases in indigenous population: inter-cultural challenges in One Health with Dr Juan Dib, Universidad del Norte, Colombia
Juan investigates the intercultural challenges in implementing One Health solutions against infectious diseases in indigenous populations. He highlights the fundamental differences in the worldview of health and disease between indigenous societies, which view health holistically, and Western medicine's reductionist approach. Juan also examines the need for improved research efforts and surveillance programmes that are tailored to remote indigenous communities to better identify disease burdens and promote public health action. -
Impact and solutions to inequitable health care infrastructure on TB in Madagascar with Dr Niaina Rakotosamimanana, Pasteur Institute of Madagascar. In this talk, Niaina addresses strategies to improve TB care and obtain epidemiological information in remote areas of Madagascar, including the use of new technologies, instructional videos, medication reminders, remote monitoring, and even drones for samples and treatment transportation, all of which aim to enhance patient education, adherence, and symptom monitoring.
About the Speakers
Dr Juan Dib is a Research Professor at the Universidad del Norte, Colombia.
For more than 20 years Juan has been dedicated to the integral study of tropical diseases, parasitology and infectious diseases in rural and remote areas of Colombia with indigenous populations. He has experience teaching PhD students, developing fieldwork with communities and doing surveillance of infectious diseases. Juan also has expertise in determining transmission dynamics of infectious diseases by molecular epidemiological studies and POCT in rural remote areas.
Dr Niaina Rakotosamimanana is the Head of the Mycobacteriology Unit at the Pasteur Institute of Madagascar.
Niaina has been working on TB at the Institut Pasteur de Madagascar since 2010. He is currently leading a TB research program which includes translational and operational research programs that aimed to develop new TB diagnostic tools and perform drug resistance surveillance in collaboration with the National Tuberculosis Control Program of Madagascar.
In September 2023, members of the VALIDATE network and subject matter experts from around the world convened in Paarl, South Africa, to explore the application of the One Health model in the development of vaccines for Tuberculosis (TB) and Leishmaniasis. The One Health model was an interdisciplinary approach that acknowledged the interrelationships between human health, animal health, and environmental health.
During the workshop, valuable presentations were delivered by VALIDATE members, and we were pleased to share these insights with the broader VALIDATE Community with a series of Online Seminars.
Seminar One took place on Zoom, 15 November 2023, 15:00 GMT.
- How to Win at Hide and Seek: Utilizing Omic Approaches to Identify and Target Neglected Pathogens by Dr. Richard Burchmore, University of Glasgow.
In the talk, Richard will outline the opportunities and limitations of Omic approaches and give some examples of how they can be applied in the diagnosis and control of NTDs.
- Unforeseen Ramifications of Antimicrobial Usage: A Case Study on Antimony by Dr. Maria Adelaida Gomez, CIDIEM.
In this talk, Adelaida will reflect on the unexpected impacts of antileishmanial use in the context of water pollution and cultural practices in endemic populations. This will lead the way to discussing challenges and opportunities for control of leishmaniasis, under the umbrella of human, animal and environmental health.
About the Speakers
Dr Richard Burchmore is the Head of Proteomics & Senior Lecturer in Parasitology, University of Glasgow, UK.
Richard has been a leishmaniac since his undergraduate research project back in 1988. His research primarily centers around host: pathogen interactions, with a special emphasis on the role of parasite nutrient transporters. A significant portion of Richard’s work involves leveraging mass spectrometry for proteomic and metabolomic analyses.
Dr Maria Adelaida Gomez is a Scientist and Coordinator at CIDEIM in Colombia.
Adelaida focuses on investigating host-pathogen interactions and mechanisms impacting the clinical and therapeutic outcomes of human infections with intracellular protozoan parasites. Her work on cutaneous leishmaniasis informs translational research in intracellular and neglected infectious diseases and the development of tools for therapeutic evaluation and host immunomodulation.
Took place online, 15:00 BST, 4 July 2023
Two fascinating presentations by two VALIDATE members from St George's, University of London focused on the development of a potential Spore-FP1 vaccine for tuberculosis (TB). Prof Rajko Reljic examined the Spore-FP1 mucosal vaccine candidate based on the fusion protein of Ag85B-Acr-HBHA/heparin-binding domain adsorbed on the surface of inactivated Bacillus subtilis spores. The vaccine candidate demonstrated significant protection in mice and guinea pigs when used as a mucosal boost to BCG but did not improve the efficacy of BCG alone in NHP. Mr Emil Vergara then explored the potential of two subunit vaccine candidates, Spore-FP1 and Nano-FP1, as post-exposure TB vaccines in mice with pre-existing lung mycobacterial immunity elicited with Mycobacterium bovis BCG. Results showed an increasing trend in the frequency of tissue-resident memory T cells, antigen-specific effector CD4 and CD8 T cells, and mucosal and systemic antibody responses among mice that received candidate vaccines.
Took place Online, 13:00 BST, 29 June 2023
In this talk, Dr Yumiko Tsikamoto discussed her innovative research which has led to the development of a recombinant BCG vaccine against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This novel vaccine features MTB-derived MMP-II and has been further modified by depleting the UreC gene, which stimulates phagosome-lysosome fusion in host cells infected with the recombinant BCG. Yimko will discus results from in vivo experiments that used a mouse model and show that this vaccine inhibits the multiplication of M. tuberculosis in the lungs much more efficiently than the traditional host BCG. Remarkably, the research team also achieved the development of an antibiotics-free recombinant BCG, utilizing cutting-edge auxotrophy-based recombination techniques. These groundbreaking findings represent a major advancement in the ongoing global effort to combat tuberculosis.
In this seminar, Dr Apichai Tuanyok discussed his team’s multidisciplinary research to investigate the epidemiology of melioidosis in southern Thailand.
The seminar took place via Zoom on 22 February 2023 at 15:00 GMT.
Video coming soon - www.validate-network.org/event/one-health-thailand
For our first VALIDATE Event of 2023, we hosted an exciting double bill: Two talks, covering two pathogens, from two VALIDATE members at the Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunisia.
You can watch the two talks below:
Targeting FOXO3 transcription factor as a Host-Directed approach to enhance the efficacy of BCG against Mycobacterium tuberculosis
with Prof Makram Essafi
Professor Makram Essafi will speak about his work on targeting the FOXO3 transcription factor as a host-directed approach to enhance the efficacy of BCG against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Vaccine against Human Leishmaniasis: Institut Pasteur de Tunis Contribution
with Prof Dhafer Laouini
In this seminar, Dr Apichai Tuanyok discusses his team’s “One Health” approach and multidisciplinary research to investigate the epidemiology of melioidosis in southern Thailand.
VALIDATE ECR Summer Showcase Seminars
Session 1
This session took place at 10:00am BST on 22 June 2022
Watch the video: To watch the video, members can contact VALIDATE to request access.
Chair: Dr Naomi Daniels
Speakers and Topics
Epidemiological characteristics of melioidosis in Southern Vietnam via the number of culture-confirmed cases at the largest referral general hospital Dr Nguyen Ho Lam |
Adjuvants for vaccine: receptor ligand-based molecular interaction to discover adjuvants for human toll-like receptors Dr Nidhi Gupta |
Development and application of the mycobacterial growth inhibition assay (MGIA)
Dr Rachel Tanner |
Speakers and Topics
This session took place at 16:00 BST on 13 July 2022
Watch the video: To watch the video, members can contact VALIDATE to request access.
The underappreciated role of neonatal BCG vaccination in educating gut microbiota Assistant Professor Nargis Khan |
Using non-human primates for TB Vaccine evaluation Dr Laura Sibley |
Generating vaccines against tuberculosis based on our knowledge of mycobacterium biofilms Dr Cristian Segura-Cerda (CHAIR) |
Special Seminar
The seminar took place at 10:00 GMT, 30 November 2021
Speaker: Dr Yumi Maeda, Leprosy Research Center National Tokyo Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan
Watch the video: To watch the video, members can contact VALIDATE to request access.
BCG is the most studied vaccine and holds promise. Several studies indicate that BCG confers some protection against leprosy. In this talk, Dr Yumi Maeda, of the Leprosy Research Center National Tokyo Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, discusses how her team constructed a recombinant BCG that secretes Major Membrane Protein-II of M. leprae, and found that it was effective in inhibiting the growth of M. leprae in mice footpads. Studies are underway to produce BCG that is stable and can be used for large scale preparation.
Detection of leprosy is also necessary for early treatment. From the analysis of the genomic sequence, specific genes coding for antigens of leprosy were selected for evaluating the antibodies in the sera of patients, and user-friendly tools are also being developed.
Seminar Archive
To watch the video, members can contact VALIDATE to request access.
This seminar took place on 15 January 2020
VALIDATE Network Management Board member Prof Andrea Cooper delivered this seminar on 15 Jan 2020 at the Jenner Institute, and has kindly agreed for us to share it with all VALIDATE members.
To watch the video, members can contact VALIDATE to request access.
This seminar took place 15 February 2019 and was led by Prof Helen McShane and Dr Rachel Tanner.
TB kills more people than any other infectious disease. The efficacy of the only available vaccine, BCG, is highly variable and lowest in high burden settings. The McShane group is developing novel TB vaccine candidates by identifying novel antigenic targets and exploring novel routes of immunization.
TB vaccine development is challenging given the lack of defined immunological correlates of protection. Class II restricted T cells are critical for protective immunity but may not be sufficient. Dr Tanner provided an update on functional mycobacterial growth inhibition assays and on a role for antibodies in protective immunity.
This seminar took place on the 6 December 2017 at LSHTM and was led by Dr Andrea Zelmer and Dr Helen Fletcher, LSHTM.
Immune correlates of risk of TB disease have recently been identified in human clinical trials. These correlates indicate that, years before TB disease develops, there is alteration in the host-immune environment which is associated with risk of TB disease. Perhaps these alterations render the immune environment permissive to mycobacterial infection or increased growth, or perhaps they reduce the efficacy of the BCG vaccine? Back translation of immune correlates of risk into animal models will enable us to address these questions and model the immune response of those individuals at greatest risk of TB disease.
Members can watch the seminar on LSHTM's Panopto Account
