The Elizabeth Blackwell Institute's Infection and Immunity Research Network will be hosting its annual Early Career Researchers' (ECRs) symposium on 19 January 2024. 

The event will comprise oral and poster presentations from ECRs as well as keynote talks from a invited speakers.   

Aims of the event

The Infection and Immunity Research Network's Early Career Researchers' event is a fantastic opportunity for Early Career Researchers to write and submit an abstract and strengthen their presentation skills to an audience of their peers. This is the perfect platform to share your work, explore alternative methodologies, ask questions if you feel one aspect of your research would benefit from wider input, offer expertise and encourage wider collaborations. This is your chance to take part in discussions that could lead to greater inter- and multidisciplinary understanding of the research in question and its potential relevance to other areas. Early-stage proposals are welcomed. 

The event is open to all; if you are not presenting, please attend and support our ECRs from across faculties to gain a better understanding of the incredible breadth of research taking place across the wider Infection and Immunity community. 

This event aims to foster the creation of new research direction, new ways of working, new ways to support and enable our academic community, and new learning experiences. 

What is an early career researcher (ECR)?

We have no set definition for an ECR; we welcome submissions from undergraduates, postgraduates, postdocs, technicians, recently appointed lecturers who are starting their academic careers, clinicians embarking on a research career, and anyone else who feels they are starting a new phase in their career journey.

Call for abstracts

Call for abstracts is now closed. If you missed the deadline, you may be able to present a poster ONLY if space allows, contact Catherine Brown for more information.

Registration

ALL staff and students across the University, in all Schools, Units and Faculties, are very welcome to participate. External attendees (NHS, UKHSA, sister institutions) are encouraged to take part.

Registration is now closed. If you are interested in taking part, please contact  Catherine Brown to enquire if spaces are available. 

Time	Speaker	Title
10:00	Welcome and Introduction
	Chair: Alaa Mohamed (Clinical Research Practitioner, Bristol Medical School)
10:05	Mia Dierks-Treece (PhD student, School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine)	The airborne survival of vancomycin-intermediate-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
10:20	Aukrit Luangpattarawong (PhD student, Bristol Dental School)	Use of a ZnO Nanoparticle Filler to Enhance the Antimicrobial and Soft Tissue Integration Properties of   Microgrooved Zirconia/Polymer Composite for Dental Implant Applications
10:35	Pragati Amratia (Research Associate, Division of Infection & Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University)	Cytomegalovirus-induced peroxynitrite promotes virus entry and in vivo pathogenesis
10:50	Terrence Trinca (Research Associate, School of Biochemistry)	Using Drosophila to dissect the molecular players required for immune cell extravasation
11:05	KEYNOTE: Michelle Bucker (Assistant Professor in Antimicrobial Resistance, Institute of Microbiology and Infection, Impact and Engagement Team, University of Birmingham)	Understanding and targeting antimicrobial resistance gene transmission
11.30	Poster Session and Buffet Lunch
	Chair: Sion Bayliss (Lecturer, Bristol Veterinary School)
13:30	Asme Boussahel (Research Fellow, School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine)	3D bioprinting for the in-vitro modelling of macrophages to model their role in healthy and diseased tissue
13:45	Cher Farrugia (Academic Clinical Fellow, Bristol Dental School)	Streptococcal Pathogenicity in Infective Endocarditis: A Multidisciplinary approach
14:00	Isabel Rowbotham (Assistant Trial Co-ordinator, Bristol Vaccine Centre, Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences)	National varicella hospitalisation rates estimates using active surveillance sites for paediatric hospital   admissions and validation of hospital episode statistics
14:15	Adrian-Mihai Costea (PhD student, School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine)	Schistosoma mansoni Excretory/Secretory Products Induce Trained Immunity in Human Monocytes and   Macrophages
14:30	KEYNOTE: Charlotte Summers (Director, Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Heart and Lung Research Institute, and Professor of Intensive Care Medicine, University of Cambridge)	TBC
14:55	Summary and Closing Remarks

Poster Programme

• Robert Alexander (PhD student, School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine): Using saliva as a research material to measure the airborne viability of bacteria
• Jaida Begum (PhD student, School of Biochemistry): Deciphering the Mechanism of Avibactam Action Against Class A β-Lactamases through QM/MM Computational Assays                                                                  
• Tom Gerrard (PhD student, School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine): Phenotypic and Genotypic diversity in Moraxella catarrhalis: Using Population Biology to Understand Antimicrobial Resistance and Pathogenesis
• Raisha Gibbs (PhD student, School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine): Developing a 3D spheroid model to investigate the role of Fusobacteria in carcinogenesis
• Alice Hathaway (PhD student, School of Biochemistry): The association of ABO and Rhesus blood group with severe outcomes from non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory infection: a prospective observational cohort study in Bristol, UK 2020-2022
• Irill Ishak (Postdoctoral Research Associate, Bristol Dental School): Rapid Colorimetric Detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Using Functionalised Gold Nanoprobe
• Elliot Macdonald (PhD student, School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine): Vitronectin binding capabilities of Opacity proteins in Neisseria gonorrhoeae
• Alaa Mohamed (Clinical Research Practitioner, Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences): Efficacy of antiviral therapy in the management of Hantavirus Pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) caused by Hantavirus disease
• Sanaz Rouhbakhsh Halvaei (Clinical Research Practitioner , Bristol Medical School): Association between gut microbiota and clinical features of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• Anzelika Rubina (Postdoc, School of Medicine, Cardiff University): Work smarter, not harder: cytomegalovirus remodels the cell surface proteome impacting multiple pathways by impairing a single protease ADAM17
• Erly Savitri (PhD student, School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine): Mesenchymal stem cells as immunomodulatory and regenerative agent for SARS-CoV-2 infection
• Francisca Segers (Senior Research Associate, Bioinformatician, Bristol Genomics Facility): How can the Bristol Genomics Facility support your research in Infection & Immunity?
• Samantha Siomko (PhD student, Bristol Veterinary School): Myxomatous mitral valve disease stage association with gut microbiome in dogs
• Joe Steventon (PhD student, School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine): Development of a Lyme disease diagnostic tool for ticks
• Emmaline Stotter (PhD student, School of Biochemistry) Exploring the role of decay-accelerating factor during red blood cell invasion by Plasmodium falciparum
• Gayan Wijesinghe (PhD student, Bristol Dental School): Diffusible Signalling Factor Family of Quorum Sensing Molecules to Combat Antifungal Resistance                                                                   

Partners

We grateful to the following for supporting this event:

Elizabeth Blackwell Institute for Health Research - Nurturing Research. Improving Health. 

 

P‌ro-Lab Diagnostics - Researching Today. Delivering for Tomorrow. 

 

Miltenyi Biotec - Empowering discovery. Advancing therapy.

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