About

ADRIANA TOMIC, CHAIR

Adriana is leading a Systems Immunology group at the University of Oxford focusing on human immunological memory and recall responses using systems-level analysis, multi-omics data integration and machine learning. She is also a co-developer of SIMON, an open-source platform for the application of machine learning to biological and clinical data.

Caitlin O’Brien-Ball, Co-CHAIR

May Sin Ke, Secretary 

May graduated from University of Tsukuba, Japan in 2019 with a BSc in Bio-Resource where she worked under the supervision of Prof. Hiroko Isoda on developing 3D spheriod culture model of primary dermal papilla cell lines to study the effects of natural compounds on hair growth. Currently, she is a DPhil Oncology candidate from the University of Oxford, UK. Tumor heterogeneity is an important factor contributing to cancer immunotherapy resistance. She is interested in studying how tumors can be primed for a better response to the immune checkpoint inhibitors through a combination of biological and computational modelling methods. Her research focuses on investigating the tumour heterogeneity in triple negative breast cancer under acute and chronic hypoxia using methods such as single-cell RNA sequencing and 3D biological models.

Quang Nguyen, Public Engagement Lead

Quang obtained a BS in cell and molecular biology from Duke University, US and an Erasmus LIVE MSc in vaccinology where he interned at GSK Vaccines, BE. Currently, he is an Oxford-Hoffmann DPhil candidate at the University of Oxford, UK. His research integrates high-parameter experimental and computational analyses to identify novel CD8 T cells with immune regulatory functions in human lymphoid tissues. Previously, Quang explored HIV/SIV B cell immunology in the lab of Dr. Sallie Permar at the Duke Human Vaccine Institute, and HIV T cell immunology in the lab of Dr. Richard Koup and Dr. Joseph Casazza at the US NIH Vaccine Research Center.

Joining OIG, Quang aims to bring the exciting advances in immunology research within and outside of Oxford to a wider community. 

Carolyn Nielsen, Science in Progress co-Lead

Carolyn is a Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellow working with Prof Simon Draper’s Blood-Stage Malaria Group in the Department of Biochemistry. Her research centres on interrogating the impact of vaccine platform and dosing regimen on the cellular drivers of humoral immunity using a combination of flow cytometry, systems serology, and single cell RNA sequencing. Carolyn also runs the upstream single B cell sorting for a variety of mAb production projects and is involved in the Draper group’s controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) model and transfer of this model to colleagues at the Ifakara Health Insititute (Tanzania).

Prior to moving to Oxford, Carolyn completed her PhD at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine under the supervision of Prof Eleanor Riley. Her PhD work, supported by an MRC Vaccine Research studentship, focused on the impact of human cytomegalovirus infection on natural killer cell responses to vaccines.

During both her PhD and a prior internship at the World Health Organization, Carolyn has been involved with leading “work-in-progress" programmes similar to the OIG SIP series and is keen to support students and early career researchers develop thnetworking and presentations skills.

Lisa Stockdale, SCIENCE IN PROGRESS CO-LEAD

Lisa is a post-doctoral immunologist in the team of Katie Ewer at the Jenner Institute. Currently focused on Phase III clinical trial set up for a virus-like particle pre-erythrocytic vaccine candidate, Lisa is establishing antibody-dependent functional assays to investigate a correlate of vaccine-induced protection.

Prior to joining the Jenner Institute, Lisa was a post-doctoral researcher at the Oxford Vaccine Group where she first worked on vaccines against Salmonella Typhi, and latterly on SARS CoV2 vaccine clinical trials. Lisa completed her PhD at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine under the supervision of Prof Helen Fletcher. Her PhD work, supported by an MRC Vaccine Research studentship, focused on the interaction between human cytomegalovirus and tuberculosis.

During her PhD, Lisa was a departmental and TB vaccine Centre student representative where she organised science in progress events for students and early career researchers. 

Ricardo Fernandes, SCIENCE IN PROGRESS CO-LEAD

Ricardo Fernandes recently joined CAMS Oxford Institute coming from Stanford where he developed novel molecules to effectively shut down signaling by immune receptors such as PD-1.