Dr. Daniela Thommen discusses immune responses to COVID variants, atypical B-cells in chronic infections, and developing a vaccine for trypanosomes. She also explores the role of PD-1 in cancer immunotherapy and provides insights on career paths in science and the intersection of music and science in lab settings.

Dr. Judy Lieberman, a renowned pediatric professor at Harvard, and Dr. Caroline Junqueira, a visiting scientist and malaria expert from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, delve into the fascinating role of γδ T cells in combating Plasmodium infections. They discuss how these unique immune cells function against malaria, their evolution, and their implications for vaccine development. The conversation also touches on broader themes of immune responses, aging, and the intricate balance of inflammation in health and disease.

Dr. Carl June and Dr. Philipp Rommel discuss ex vivo T cell engineering for cancer and HIV therapies. They cover topics like m6A RNA modification in immune responses and synthetic Notch CAR T cells targeting solid tumors. The podcast also explores challenges in translating T cell therapy breakthroughs and immunotherapy strategies for cancer interception.

Dr. Bernardo Franklin, a Professor at the University of Bonn, discusses the role of blood platelets in innate immunity, systemic inflammation, and cancer. Topics include T cell cross-reactivity in coronaviruses, maternal immune activation, platelets in immune responses, and challenges in academic systems and scientific self-correction.

Three immunologist sisters, Drs. Mindy, Amy, and Kristen Engevik, discuss microbial-host crosstalk, gastrointestinal disorders, and purinergic signaling. They share insights on immune dysregulation in severe COVID-19, advancements in immunotherapy, and their personal journeys in gut immunology research. The episode also touches on empowering women in STEM, challenges faced, and a fun discussion on superpowers.

Guest: Dr. Filipe Pereira is an Associate Professor at the Lund Stem Cell Center at Lund University. The Pereira lab studies how hematopoietic cell fate is specified, maintained, and eventually modified or reversed. Inspired by the fields of stem cell biology, immunology, and cancer, they use an interdisciplinary approach to mechanistically understand hematopoietic and immune cell identities and translate their findings into novel gene and cell therapies. Featured Products and Resources: Generate Millions of Monocytes from hPSCs with the STEMdiff Monocyte Kit Differentiate Monocytes into Dendritic Cells with the ImmunoCult Dendritic Cell Culture Kit The Immunology Science Round Up Resident T Cells Stay at Home – Researchers examined how immunity is integrated within adult mouse tissues and observed durable maintenance of resident memory T cells up to 450 days after infection. Bacteria-Derived Peptides Found inside Tumors – Scientists identified a peptide repertoire derived from intracellular bacteria that was presented on HLA-I and HLA-II molecules in melanoma tumors. Gamma Delta T Cells Link Immunity to Nutrition – Researchers analyzed mice fed a high-carbohydrate versus a high-protein diet and observed remodeling of the small intestinal epithelium in response to dietary carbohydrates. Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs) Activate Innate Immune Sensor cGAS – In mice, NETs stimulated interferon production in a cGAS-dependent manner, suggesting that cGAS acts as a sensor of NETs to stimulate immune responses during infection. Photo Reference: Courtesy of Dr. Filipe Pereira Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe

In March of 2021, the Immunology Podcast will be launching with the goal of creating an accessible, entertaining, and educational resource for scientists to keep current on the latest developments in immunology research. The hosts, Drs. Brenda Raud and Jason Goldsmith, will cover the latest scientific advances and interview key immunology influencers about their work and perspectives on the field. The Immunology Podcast is owned and produced by STEMCELL Technologies, a global biotechnology company based out of Vancouver, Canada. STEMCELL provides the podcast under their Science Communication Program, alongside several other services to keep scientists current and connected with their fields. This includes the Stem Cell Podcast, which covers groundbreaking research in the field of stem cell biology, and has amassed a global following, with more than 600,000 downloads to date. STEMCELL Technologies supports life sciences research with more than 2,500 specialized cell culture media, cell separation tools, instruments, accessory products and educational services that are used by scientists performing immunology, stem cell, cancer, regenerative medicine, and cellular therapy research globally. Subscribe to our newsletter! Never miss updates about new episodes. Subscribe