NEWS FROM THE BENCH
New KerfootLab Publication
Activated B cells participating in the anti-myelin response are excluded from the inflamed central nervous system in a model of autoimmunity that allows for B cell recognition of autoantigen.
Our most recent paper just came out this week in the Journal of Immunology. It has been available online since early June, but appears in print and gets an official (and increasingly irrelevant) volume and page number today.
In this paper, we use our unique tools to track autoimmune, and myelin T and B cells in a model of induced anti-myelin autoimmunity in mice. In human Multiple Sclerosis it has become apparent that B cells are very important players in promoting disease progression; in fact B cell targeting therapies have been approved for treatment of MS, including for the first time the progressive form of disease. However, we don’t know much about how these cells drive disease, and much of our research aims to figure this out.
B cells are known to invade the brains and spinal cords of people with MS, and they often form clusters with T cells adjacent to demyelinating lesions. Our initial assumption, based on what is known about the T cells that infiltrate the CNS in autoimmunity, was that many or even most of these B cells would be the ones that themselves target CNS autoantigen. We were surprised to find the opposite and that, if anything, activated autoimmune B cells are excluded from the inflamed CNS.
The usual caveat that this is a study in an animal disease model and not in human MS should be noted when interpreting findings from this paper. However, similar models of disease have previously revealed fundamental properties of the CNS/immune system relationship, and there is no reason to think that this is not the case here. Further, while some findings from human MS tissues have been interpreted to suggest B cells in the CNS are activated and target autoantigens, after closer reading of studies we are not convinced that this is the case. As with any study such as this, time will tell which is correct, but we will continue to address this issue in future studies.
Funding: This work in this paper was funded from an operating grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Yodit’s stipend is funded from an Ontario Graduate Scholarship and Rajiv’s stipend is funded from a studentship from the MS Society of Canada. Please check out our funding page for more information.
A note about access: The conditions of our funding stipulate that publications must be freely accessible within a year of publication, and in accordance with this it will be possible to access the full and final version of this paper through the journal website within a year. Allowing early open access would have cost our research budget thousands of dollars over the ~$3000 CAD it already cost to publish this paper (lots of colour charges for pretty figures). If you want to read our paper but can’t get access, please contact us and we will do our best to get it to you.
Kate takes a well-earned break from the lab and has a chance to talk about her work back home
Scientists are not always in the lab.
After a challenging and rewarding 14 months of my new life in Canada, in April this year I headed back to Adelaide, Australia to visit my family and friends, and importantly seek out some sunshine and the ocean.
A beautiful autumn day down at the beach (Brighton, SA, Aus)
There were lots of lunches down the beach and dinners in the city so I could spend quality time with the people I have missed and see how Adelaide had changed in my absence. I also took the opportunity to catch up with my PhD supervisor and my previous lab members, and I was asked to be interviewed for a magazine put out by the student association at UniSA, to talk about my transition to Canada and my life as a scientist.
“With a keen interest in science and an undergraduate degree from UniSA, Kate is now pursuing a post-doctoral degree in Canada. She speaks to us about her journey from Adelaide to Ontario and her work as a scientist.”
One of the highlights of my trip was going to see my favourite sports team Port Adelaide Power play Australian rules football, something I really miss while here but thanks to the internet I don’t have to miss out completely!
Australian rules football. Port Adelaide vs. Carlton (we won!!) @ Adelaide Oval, SA, Aus.
Dr. Kate Parham awarded a fellowship from the MSSOC
Congrats Kate!
Dr. Parham was awarded an endMS Post Doctoral Fellowship from the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada to fund her work investigating how autoimmune responses get started.
Congratulations Kate!
KerfootLab.com 3.0 launch
Even better than the last time we started all over again.
We're pleased to launch a refreshed version of our lab website.
Check out our Lab Blog for regular (we hope) updates on our research, community outreach, and other activities.
Our About and Team pages introduce you to the work we do and the people that do it.
Please check out our important Funding page. The money to support our research comes from government and non-profit funding agencies, and we'd like to tell you about who they are and how we use the resources we have. Most of all, we want to say a big "thank you" to you, because it's your taxes and donations that keep us going.
Thanks for checking out our website and we hope to see you back!
Looking both back and forwards at the Singh Symposium
Honouring a very important Canadian scientist.
Originally posted 2016/06/03
Steve was pleased and honoured to be able to represent the current Department of Microbiology & Immunology as a speaker at the Research Symposium honouring Dr. Bhagirath Singh, who is retiring from the department this year.
Steve had a chance to talk about our research looking at the development of a pathogenic immune response targeting myelin antigen in CNS autoimmunity.
Over a very long and distinguished career, Dr. Singh made important scientific contributions to our understanding of T cell recognition of antigen and the development of autoimmune responses in models of type 1 diabetes. He also has had a tremendous impact as a mentor and supporter of his colleagues and especially of trainees. All of the speakers at the event spoke of Dr. Singh’s influence on their developing careers.
(Left to Right) Drs. Steve Kerfoot (Western University), Cindy Guidos (Sick Kids Hospital, Toronto), David Kelvin (University Health Network, Toronto), Babita Agrawal (University of Alberta, Edmonton), Bhagi Singh, Joaquin Madrenas (McGill University, Montreal), and Marc Ouellette (CIHR, Institute of Infection and Immunity).
Dr. Singh also had an enormous impact on Immunology research in Canada and internationally as the inaugural Scientific Director of the Institute of Infection and Immunity, part of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. We heard from Dr. Marc Ouellette, the current SD of the III, and later from Dr. Alan Bernstein, the first president of the CIHR, about central role that Dr. Singh played in the evolution of the CIHR and how we fund and do science in Canada today.
It was a fantastic day and evening honouring a very deserving scientist, leader, and mentor. Our very best wishes go to Bhagi in his retirement.
Rajiv goes to summer school
Multidisciplinary learning.
Every year the MS Society of Canada hosts a one week educational retreat for trainees in the field of MS research to learn about MS from a multidisciplinary perspective. This year, I was fortunate enough to attend the 2017 MS summer school event held at the Memorial University in Newfoundland! The theme for the summer school this year was “Moving MS Research Forward through Clinical and Biomedical Partnerships” which covered the topics such as Histology, Neurological exams, Gait analysis, The keys to collaboration and group work, and general information about MS.
My gait being analyzed. Thank you Dr. Karen Lee for taking the picture!
In addition, as part of the endMS SPRINT program, I and my fellow SPRINTers gave a presentation on the "Contribution of circadian rhythms to psychosocial and physiological outcomes in Multiple Sclerosis". In the near future, a review publication summarizing this information will hopefully be published for your viewing so keep an eye out!
Lab Blog Relaunch
Now even better.
We're relaunching our blog on a new platform. Posts from the old days (below) have been ported in, but links might not work properly.
We also look a lot younger.
Meet this year's team
Getting younger every year.
Originally published 04-10-2016
We took the opportunity at our lab BBQ last weekend to finally take an updated lab picture.
Left to right: Heather (and Owen) - lab tech (and lab baby); Steve - lab head; Yodit - MSc student; Rajiv - PhD Candidate; Kate - Post Doctoral Fellow; Alicia - 4th year Honours Student.
Food is a great bribe to get everyone in the same place and to stand still long enough for a picture.
KerfootLab at the 2016 MS Bike Ride
Back on our bikes.
Originally posted 2016/07/29
team Microbiology and Immunology, including members of the department and friends
The entire KerfootLab participated in the 2016 MS Bike Ride to raise funds for MS research – a cause that is obviously important to us. This event is the largest cycling series in North America with the Grand Bend to London tour covering 150km in two days.
victorious cyclists at the finish line (image via Instagram, including mandatory filter)
Steve, Heather, and Yodit, along with other members and friends of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Western University took up the challenge and got on their bikes. Both days were in the high 30˚Cs, but despite the heat, it was a great ride for a great cause.
sweaty cyclists invading Kate and Ravi's previously sweet-smelling station
Kate and Rajiv volunteered their time on the Saturday at the Western University finish line where they directed the exhausted, but triumphant, cyclists to the complimentary ice-cream, massages and toward their long-awaited shower!
(almost) the whole team at the end of the ride
Our team raised more than $3000, contributing to the grand total of $1.3 million for the whole Grand Bend to London ride. Donations are still being accepted on the Western Microbiology and Immunology team page if you’d like to add a contribution of your own.
KerfootLab goes to the 2016 MS Summer School
Multidisciplinary learning.
Originally posted 2016/06/16
Every year the MS Society of Canada hosts a one week educational retreat for trainees in the field of MS research to learn about MS from a multidisciplinary perspective. This year, Rajiv and Yodit were fortunate enough to be selected to attend the 2016 MS summer school event held at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver! The theme for the summer school this year was “The Evolving Art and Science of MS Care” which covered the topics such as epidemiology, viruses in MS, MRI, the clinical side of MS, and general information about MS.
Yodit and Rajiv in Vancouver. You can tell by how green it is.
In addition to the MS summer school, Rajiv was selected to be a part of the 2016-2017 SPRINT team which guarantees that he will be a part of the 2017 MS summer school! As part of the SPRINT program, Rajiv will be working in a team of SPRINTers along with Dr. Ghasemlou from Queens University to work on an interdisciplinary project. Congratulations Rajiv!