Host: Institute of Inflammation and Repair
Senior presenter:
Dr Rebecca Dearman, FLS: “Innate and adaptive immune cells in skin immune responses"
Dr Rebecca Dearman joined the Central Toxicology Laboratory (CTL) at Alderley Park in 1988 as a research fellow after completing a Biochemistry degree at the University of Bath and a PhD in Immunochemistry at the University of Southampton. After 20 years of mergers and demergers (from ICI, to Zeneca, to AstraZeneca and finally to Syngenta) in 2007 she left her position as Head of Immunology Research at CTL to join the Faculty of Life Sciences at the University of Manchester. Dr Dearman has considerable experience and expertise at the interface between allergy, immunology and toxicology, particularly the cellular and molecular regulation of food allergy, chemical respiratory sensitization and contact allergy. Active research interests are focused on the role of immune cells in shaping the polarisation of allergic responses to chemicals and proteins and thus the cell and molecular regulation of food allergy, chemical respiratory sensitization and contact allergy. The roles of epidermal Langerhans cells and other skin dendritic cells, the epidermal cytokine microenvironment and the impact of Natural Killer and Treg cells on the quality of immune response induced by chemical allergens are continuing interests. She has over 250 peer reviewed publications and has made over 900 presentations at national and international scientific meetings. She is a member of the British Toxicology Society, the US Society of Toxicology and the British Society of Immunology. She is a member of the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment, is on the editorial board of the journals Biomarkers, Toxicological Sciences and Journal of Immunotoxicology and is an external examiner for the MSc in Toxicology at the University of Surrey.
Junior presenter:
Dr Suzanne Pilkington, Institute of Inflammation and Repair: “Impact of dietary lipids on UV-induced inflammatory and immune responses”
Dr Suzanne Pilkington is a postdoctoral researcher within the Centre for Dermatology, Institute of Inflammation and Repair and is based between the Stopford dermatology laboratories and the Photobiology Unit at Salford Royal. She obtained a BSc (Hons) in Biological Sciences followed by a PhD at the University of Manchester with Professor Lesley Rhodes and Dr Rachel Watson. For her PhD she examined the impact of topical and systemic omega-3 fatty acids on lipid signaling during UVR-induced inflammation and immune suppression in human skin, utilising novel mass spectrometry assays in collaboration with Professor Anna Nicolaou. Her My current research interests focus on characterising the leukocytic infiltration associated with both the onset and resolution of UVR-induced inflammation, whilst exploring how the eicosanoid profile of the skin may impact on leukocyte behaviour.
About the research series:
The monthly Faculty Research Series events are open to all staff and students from across the Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences and the University, offering an opportunity to celebrate research achievement and stimulate scientific interaction. Each month one host School or Institute from the Faculty will pair with a different School or Institute to highlight and showcase similar topics from different perspectives. The 2014 series is led by Professor David Eisner and administered from the Faculty Research Office.
Schedule:
Held on Wednesday lunchtimes, each meeting lasts an hour, including two 20-25 minute presentations – one from a junior and one from a more senior member of Faculty staff. Each presentation will be followed by a short discussion. A buffet lunch will be available from 12.30. Presentations begin at 1pm.
Registration:
Please note that places will be limited so registration is essential, please register via Eventbrite
