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Tuesday October 01, 2024

Congratulations to Catarina F Almeida
2024 ASI Gordon Ada Awardee

 



We warmly congratulate
Catarina F Almeida
winner of the 2024 ASI Gordon Ada Award


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Supporting members to travel for career related purposes.

I am currently leading a small team on CD1-research at the Doherty Institute/University of Melbourne with 13 years of experience in Unconventional T cells (not MHC-peptide reactive). This includes a MSc- University of Lisbon/IMM in Portugal 2009 (with Prof Luis Graça), and a PhD- University of Melbourne, Australia Nov 2015 (with Prof Dale Godfrey). 

My ground-breaking approaches are revealing a broader diversity across CD1d-lipid restricted NKT cells, than previously appreciated, including the antigens they recongise, the T cell receptors (TCRs) they express, and their disease-implications. This includes several subsets expressing public TCR-repertoires (semi-conserved between different humans), distinct to those previously described, such as: TRAV26+ that recognise CD1d-in a ligand independent manner, last-author manuscript in preparation; and TRAV12-biased NKTs that respond to sulfa-drug-like/non-lipid Ags, (Almeida et al, PNAS, 2021). 

My discoveries introduced new concepts in the field, including opening avenues to explore the influence of small drug-like-molecules in modulating immunity via NKT cells; and investigate NKT-contributions to sulfa-drug-allergies, which remains a major health concern sole CI NHMRC-Ideas grant 2024-2027. Further, the TRAV12-TRAJ6 TCR clonotype associated to small drug-like-molecule-CD1d-recognition was recently implicated in Crohn’s disease in 2 publications in the journal Gut 2023 by Prof Franke’s group (Kiel, Germany). 

These have prompted new translational research streams and independent collaborations with: 

1) A/Prof Trubiano (MD, Austin Health/UOM), a clinical drug-allergy expert/researcher: 1 co- publication Awad, JACI:Global 2022, and a joint philanthropic grant awarded as CIA. 

2) Prof Michaela Lucas (MD, a clinical drug-allergy expert/researcher, UWA, Australia)- 1 MD-Honours-student co-supervised 2023 (H1-distinction). 

3) Prof Andre Franke, ICKM (Geneticist, IKMB and University Hospital Schleswig Holstein, Kiel, Germany) – prompted my invited scientist visit to Kiel in 2023 and multiple ongoing projects.

4) Edward Giles, (MD, Gastroenterologist, Monash Health, Australia) 

5) Prof Allison Abendroth and Barry Slobedman (Virologist, Uni Sydney, Australia)- 1 PhD-student co-supervised, 1 review published 

6) Dr Eckle (Lab head with aligned interests in drug allergy research at the Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne, Australia) – 1 MSc student, 1 Hons, 1 Post doc co-supervised.

With my expansive network of collaborations, I aim to elucidate the biological and molecular features underpinning these previously unknown subsets in the immune system, to better understand their roles in immunity and help find better ways to treat disease by targeting them.

I have used these funds to pay for costs associated to the international Antigen Processing and Presentation Workshop-APPW, May 26-30 2024, for which I have received a formal Plenary Speaker Invitation (self-funded-https://appw2024.org/speakers/). 

The APPW is a major international conference focused antigen recognition and T cell presentation, held every 2-3 years since 1995. It brings together 200-300 international delegates, including highly acclaimed world-leading experts. In recognition of the highly relevant and competitive research program that I have been developing, I was a plenary invited speaker along- side amongst world-renowned leaders such as Peter Cresswell, Paul Thomas, Johnathan Yewdell, amongst others. Here I was able to showcase my most recent research findings, particularly the discovery a novel TRAV26+ NKT clonotype, which employs a new strategy to recognise CD1d in a ligand independent manner. This data forms basis to a manuscript in preparation that I lead as co-senior author in last position, that we anticipate to submit to a leading peer-reviewed journal. I believe the concept was of great interest to the audience that likely included potential reviewers, as many questions and discussions arose after the talk.

During this trip I also had the opportunity to visit and deliver a talk at the James Cook University, Smithfield, Cairns, and discuss potential collaborative research with A/ Prof Andreas Kupz and his team. I must say the trip was reinvigorating and motivating, and the weather certainly helped as it felt much warmer and tropical when compared Melbourne in late May… You know what I mean!

As I aim to establish an independent career as an expert researcher in the field of unconventional-T cell immunology, the Gordon ADA AWARD allowed me to do this trip from Melbourne to Cairns, and increase my international visibility as an emerging leader within my field, and seek out potential collaborative opportunities. This is a big step in my career as it illustrates an award to support my SECOND speaker-invitation to a major international conference (in addition to the recent CD1-MR1 in February 2024, which is world-leading conference in my field).

Tropical setting in Fitzroy Island offshore from Cairns for a social activity of the APPW24. This included hiking with Prof Ike Eisenlohr (University of Pennsylvania, USA) and snorkelling with Dr Patricia Illing (Monash Uni, AUs).

 

Author: Catarina F Almeida


Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the author/s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of ASI

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