The human humoral immune system is able to mark out disease-associated alterations in the expressed human proteome in non-communicable diseases through the production of high specificity autoantibodies. Similarly, one component of the adaptive immune response to microbial infection is the production of pathogen-specific antibodies. Such (auto)antibodies are now finding potential utility as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of disease, as well as representing candidate therapeutics. This half-day mini-symposium will bring together researchers from Sweden and South Africa with active research interests in the burgeoning field of Immunoproteomics, with the goal of establishing new networks and collaborations in this important area of research.
The speakers at the satellite event will include:
Prof Peter Nilsson (KTH; protein-fragment microarrays for autoantibody discovery)
Prof Jonathan Blackburn (UCT; protein microarrays for diagnostic autoantibody discovery)
Prof Tom Scriba (UCT; antibody correlates of risk of TB)
Prof Stefan Barth (UCT; antibody engineering for diagnostics and therapeutics)
Prof Carolyn Williamson/Daniel Sheward (UCT; evolution of broadly neutralising antibodies in HIV disease)
Prof Anna-Lise Williamson/ Michiel van Diepen (UCT; design of antibody-based vaccines in HIV)
Prof Ed Rybicki (UCT; antibody production in plants)
Prof Keertan Dheda (UCT; novel lateral flow-based diagnostics for TB disease)
Dr Lindi Masson (UCT; Biomarkers point-of-care tests for HIV prevention)
Prof Ujjwal Neogi (Karolinska Institute;
Immuno-proteomics perspective of Inflamm-aging in people living with HIV)
Prof Olof Lindahl (Uppsala University; innovation in antibiotics and diagnostics for bacterial infections)
Keywords: Immunoproteomics, Autoantibodies, Protein microarrays, Diagnostics, Therapeutics.
Venue: Auditorium of the Lung Institute, Health Sciences Campus, University of Cape Town.
Contact details: Professor Jonathan Blackburn,
jonathan.blackburn@uct.ac.za, +27 (0)21 406 6071
