The early career academics presenting in the next Peptide and Protein Science online series will be Dr Emma McErlean from Queen's University Belfast and Dr Phil Jervis from ZSL Institute of Zoology.
Date: 04-10-2024
Time: 1:00-2:00 pm
Venue: an online Zoom lecture
Registration: https://eu01web.zoom.us/meeting/register/u50tce2uqzgpHdK7T_F6SRcFLGIMbiviDm3W
Dr Emma McErlean, Queen's University Belfast
https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/emma-dynes
Title: Peptide-mediated gene delivery for cell and gene therapies.
Abstract: Gene therapy has immense potential for the treatment of a wide variety of diseases including cancer, wound healing and neurodegenerative diseases. Successful gene therapy requires efficient and safe delivery of nucleic acids inside target cells. Safety concerns and expense associated with viral vectors, currently favoured for gene delivery, warrants the development of non-viral delivery systems. This research focuses on the development of multifunctional cell penetrating delivery peptides which form self-assembling nanoparticles with nucleic acids, with industry acceptable characteristics at a clinically relevant scale.
Dr Phillip Jervis, PDRA, ZSL Institute of Zoology
https://profiles.imperial.ac.uk/p.jervis16
Title: Characterising host antimicrobial peptide defences against infection by the amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis)
Abstract: The anthropogenic spread of the disease chytridiomycosis, caused amphibian chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), has been implicated in the catastrophic decline or extinction of over 500 amphibian species worldwide [1]. Despite these observed declines, not all populations or species of amphibians have been equally affected by the disease. As Bd is a pathogen of amphibian skin, the antimicrobial compounds presented in their skin’s mucosal layer are thought to be the first line of defence against infection by Bd [2]. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) secreted by the granular glands of amphibian hosts are thought to be a crucial, endogenous defence against both initial infection, and disease progression of chytridiomycosis. One species which has shown a variable ability to co-exist with Bd at a population level is the Common midwife toad (Alytes obstetricans). Despite the initial precipitous declines in populations throughout the Pyrenees mountains following introduction of Bd, some of these populations are now showing signs of recovery [3]. We combine population-level monitoring in the field, mass spectrometry-based peptidomics and in-vitro assays to explore the role of AMPs in Bd resistance of A. obstetricans. We find that the timing of immune development at the tadpole stage is linked to population-level recovery from a chytridiomycosis epizootic.
[1] Ben C. Scheele et al. Science 363,1459-1463(2019). [2] Laura F. Grogan et al. Journal of Fungi. 2020; 6(4):234. [3] Kieran A. Bates et al. Nat Commun 9, 693 (2018).
For upcoming series, please visit the RSC PPSG website.
If you would like to present in future seminars, please contact one of the organisers.
Rachael Dickman: rachael.dickman.13@ucl.ac.uk
Lucia Lombardi: l.lombardi@imperial.ac.uk
Louis Luk: lukly@cardiff.ac.uk
Date: 04-10-2024
Time: 1:00-2:00 pm
Venue: an online Zoom lecture
Registration: https://eu01web.zoom.us/meeting/register/u50tce2uqzgpHdK7T_F6SRcFLGIMbiviDm3W
Dr Emma McErlean, Queen's University Belfast
https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/emma-dynes
Title: Peptide-mediated gene delivery for cell and gene therapies.
Abstract: Gene therapy has immense potential for the treatment of a wide variety of diseases including cancer, wound healing and neurodegenerative diseases. Successful gene therapy requires efficient and safe delivery of nucleic acids inside target cells. Safety concerns and expense associated with viral vectors, currently favoured for gene delivery, warrants the development of non-viral delivery systems. This research focuses on the development of multifunctional cell penetrating delivery peptides which form self-assembling nanoparticles with nucleic acids, with industry acceptable characteristics at a clinically relevant scale.
Dr Phillip Jervis, PDRA, ZSL Institute of Zoology
https://profiles.imperial.ac.uk/p.jervis16
Title: Characterising host antimicrobial peptide defences against infection by the amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis)
Abstract: The anthropogenic spread of the disease chytridiomycosis, caused amphibian chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), has been implicated in the catastrophic decline or extinction of over 500 amphibian species worldwide [1]. Despite these observed declines, not all populations or species of amphibians have been equally affected by the disease. As Bd is a pathogen of amphibian skin, the antimicrobial compounds presented in their skin’s mucosal layer are thought to be the first line of defence against infection by Bd [2]. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) secreted by the granular glands of amphibian hosts are thought to be a crucial, endogenous defence against both initial infection, and disease progression of chytridiomycosis. One species which has shown a variable ability to co-exist with Bd at a population level is the Common midwife toad (Alytes obstetricans). Despite the initial precipitous declines in populations throughout the Pyrenees mountains following introduction of Bd, some of these populations are now showing signs of recovery [3]. We combine population-level monitoring in the field, mass spectrometry-based peptidomics and in-vitro assays to explore the role of AMPs in Bd resistance of A. obstetricans. We find that the timing of immune development at the tadpole stage is linked to population-level recovery from a chytridiomycosis epizootic.
[1] Ben C. Scheele et al. Science 363,1459-1463(2019). [2] Laura F. Grogan et al. Journal of Fungi. 2020; 6(4):234. [3] Kieran A. Bates et al. Nat Commun 9, 693 (2018).
For upcoming series, please visit the RSC PPSG website.
If you would like to present in future seminars, please contact one of the organisers.
Rachael Dickman: rachael.dickman.13@ucl.ac.uk
Lucia Lombardi: l.lombardi@imperial.ac.uk
Louis Luk: lukly@cardiff.ac.uk
