AFC Winter 2014

Held at Birkbeck College, London

January 10th 2014

Scientific Programme

Session 1

NSAIDs to tackle drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Arundhati Maitra, Dimitrios Evangelopoulos, Parisa Nakhostin Mortazavi, Aleksei Kovalev, Juan David Guzman, Timothy D. McHugh and Sanjib Bhakta. Mycobacteria Research Laboratory, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Birkbeck College

Structure and Function of the mycobacterial ACG protein family
Nicholas H. Keep, Francois Xavier-Chauviac, Doris Quay, James Torpey, Martin Bommer, Ambrose Cole. Institute for Structural and Molecular Biology, Crystallography, Dept of Biological Sciences, Birkbeck College

Innate and antigen-specific cytotoxic cells and paradoxical HIV-1-associated tuberculosis immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (TB-IRIS)
Katalin A Wilkinson, Naomi F Walker, Graeme Meintjes, Keira H Skolimowska, Kerryn Matthews, Rebecca Tadokera, Ronnett Seldon, Gary Maartens, Mark P Nicol, Molebogeng X Rangaka, Gurdyal S. Besra, Robert J Wilkinson. Clinical Infectious Diseases Research Initiative, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, and MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London

High dose rifampicin therapy for a shorter treatment period
Yanmin Hu, Mitchison DA, Jindani A, Liu Y, Coates ARM. Medical Microbiology, Centre for Infection and immunity, Division of Clinical Sciences, St George’s, University of London

Getting to know Mycobacterium tuberculosis through metabolomics
Gérald Larrouy-Maumus, and Luiz Pedro Sório de Carvalho. Division of Mycobacterial Research, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London

Session 2

Counting mycobacteria: how many beans make five?
Han Xiao, Katarina Oravcova, Wilber Sabiiti, Eoghan Farmer, Stephen Gillespie. School of Medicine, University of St.Andrews

The pathological role of neutrophil necrosis in tuberculosis
David M Lowe, Nonzwakazi Bangani, Katalin A Wilkinson, Robert J Wilkinson, Adrian R Martineau. Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, and Clinical Infectious Diseases Research Initiative, Institute for Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Observatory 7925, Cape Town, South Africa

Role of lymph node-derived lymphatic endothelial cells in mycobacterial Infection
Maximiliano G. Gutierrez. National Institute of Medical Research, Mill Hill, London

Recovery of TB genomes from metagenomes
Jacqueline Chan, Martin Sergeant, Andrew Millard, Elizabeth Wellington, Helen Donoghue and Mark Pallen. Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick

Bioelectrospray-based cell encapsulation for in vitro modelling of Mycobacterium tuberculosis induced granuloma formation
Liku B Tezera, Magda K Bielecka, Victoria Workman, Patience T Brace, Brian D Robertson, Suwan N Jayasinghe, Paul T Elkington. Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton

Programme details (Word file)

AFC Summer 2013

Held at University College, Dublin

July 4th-5th 2013

Scientific Programme

Session 1: University College Dublin Symposium and guest speakers

Guest speaker
Prof Patrick Brennan, Colorado State University

Host preference across the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex
Stephen Gordon, University College Dublin

Wildlife intervention strategies for control of bovine tuberculosis
Eamonn Gormley, School of Veterinary Medicine, UCD, Dublin

Session 2: Trinity College Dublin Symposium and guest speakers

Invited talk: TB vaccine efficacy trials:what can we learn and what’s next?
Helen McShane, University of Oxford

TBC
Joe Keane, Trinity College Dublin

Phylogenetic lineages of tuberculosis isolates associate with specific patient demographics in New Zealand
Ronan F O’Toole, Trinity College Dublin

The ancient evolution of tuberculosis as a zoonosis
David E Minnikin, University of Birmingham, Birmingham

Session 3: Offered papers

TBC
David McHugh, University College Dublin

Genetic Analyses of a Conserved Virulence Regulon in the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex
Claire Healey, University College Dublin

The Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Mycobacterial p-Hydroxybenzoic Acid Derivatives (p-HBADs)
Eoin Sacnlan, Trinity College Dublin

My-D88 adapter like (Mal) is required for effective macrophage responses To Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Cliona Ni Cheallaigh, Trinity College Dublin

Insights into the global metabolic changes in mycobacteria during nitrogen stress
Kerstin Williams, Imperial College London

Session 4: Offered papers

Biofilms and antibiotic tolerance: transcriptomic profiles of Mycobacterium smegmatis biofilms
S.A. Lethbridge, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury

Genome-wide mapping of transcription start sites defines an extensive leaderless transcriptome in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Teresa Cortes,National Institute for Medical Research, MRC, London

A transposon-mutagenesis library to study mechanisms of drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Joana Fonseca, University College London

Mannan core branching of lipo(arabino)mannan is required for initiation of mycobacterial granuloma formation in vivo
Arun K. Mishra, MRC National Institute of Medical Research, London

Mycobacterium leprae – A genome lost in time
Thomas A. Mendum, University of Surrey

AFC Winter 2013

Held at the Royal Free Hospital, London

January 11th 2013

Scientific Programme

Session 1

Human plasma miRNA and snoRNA molecules are significantly downregulated in tuberculosis-infected individuals in response to chemotherapy but HIV-1 co-infection spoils the picture
Isobella Honeyborne, Shirin Bokari, Silvana Christou, Clare Eckold, Alexander Pym, Timothy McHugh. UCL, London

Carbon fixation and a mixed diet for intracellular Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Dany J V Beste, Katharina Nöh, Sebastian Niedenführ, Tom A Mendum, Nathaniel D Hawkins, Jane L Ward, Michael H Beale, Wolfgang Wiechert and Johnjoe McFadden. Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Department of Microbial and Cellular Sciences, University of Surrey

Destruction of lung extracellular matrix by MMP-1 is critical in TB pathogenesis
Basim Al shammari, Takayuki Shiomi, Liku Tezera, Brian D Robertson, Jon S Friedland, Jeanine D’Armiento and Paul Elkington. Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunity, Imperial College London

Non-replicating Mycobacterium tuberculosis elicits a reduced pathogenicity profile and corresponding modifications to the cell wall
Bacon J, Alderwick LJ, Allnutt JA, Gabasova E, Watson R, Hatch KA, Clark SA, Marriott A, Rayner E, Tolley H, Pearson G, Hall G, Besra GS, Wernisch L, Williams A, Marsh PD. Health Protection Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury

Analysis of host gene induction following MVA85A
M. Matsumiya, Z. Lang, J. Meyer, S. Harris, A. Pathan, R. Rowland, A. Minassian, H. Fletcher, H. McShane. The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford

Session 2

MTS2048 a small RNA with a secret
Joanna Houghton, Olga Schubert, Douglas Young and Kristine Arnvig. Division of Mycobacterial Research, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London

Structure of M. tuberculosis DprE1, the target of BTZ compounds
Sarah M Batt, Talat Jabeen, Veemal Bhowruth, Peter A Lund, Luke J Alderwick, Klaus Fütterer, Gurdyal S Besra. School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham

Discovery of the anti-tubercular specific activity of ibuprofen and other 2-arylpropanoic acids using the HT-SPOTi whole-cell phenotypic assay
Juan David Guzman, Dimitrios Evangelopoulos, Antima Gupta, Kristian Birchall, Solomon Mwaigwisya, Simon Gibbons, Barbara Saxty, John Malkinson, Timothy D. McHugh and Sanjib Bhakta. Mycobacteria Research Laboratory, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Birkbeck College, London

Selective ESAT6-dependent necrosis of phosphatidylserine externalised neutrophils
Robert J Francis, Rachel E Butler, Graham Stewart. Department of Microbial and Cellular Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey

Ethnic variation in inflammatory profile in tuberculosis
Adrian R. Martineau, Anna K. Coussens, Robert J. Wilkinson, Vladyslav Nikolayevskyy, Francis A. Drobniewski, Paul T. Elkington, Graham H. Bothamley, Robert N. Davidson, Christopher J. Griffiths. Queen Mary University of London, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Blizard Institute, London E1 2AB, Division of Mycobacterial Research, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London

AFC Summer 2012

Held at the Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex

July 5th-6th 2012

Scientific Programme

Session 1: Brighton and Sussex Medical School and University ofSussex Symposium

Genetic susceptibility to M.tuberculosis
Melanie Newport

Interactions between a novel transcriptional activator and RNA polymerase
Mark Paget

Flow-cytometry in the diagnosis of active TB
Florian Kern

DNA repair in mycobacteria
Aidan Doherty

The effect of growth rate on the efficacy of isoniazid against Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Alice Marriott, Jon Allnutt, Kim Hatch, Catherine Arnold, Tim McHugh, Philip Marsh, Joanna Bacon, HPA Microbiology Services, Porton Down, Salisbury

Session 2: Guest speaker

Host-pathogen interactions in TB
Olivier Neyrolles. CNRS, Toulouse

Session 3: Offered papers

Evaluating BCG and novel TB vaccine candidates with a human BCG challenge model
Joel Meyer, S Harris, I Satti, A Minassian, H Fletcher, H McShane, Jenner Institute, Oxford University

Does biofilm growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis replicate features of the phenotypes observed in tuberculous sputum?
Abdulwhab Binjomah, Andrew Bell, Su-Min Lee, Galina Mukamolova, Natalie Garton and Mike Barer, Department of Infection Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester

The role of peptidoglycan glycolylation in mycobacterial dormancy and resuscitation
Jessica Loraine, Obolbek Turapov, Jacob Biboy, Waldemar VollmerandGalina Mukamolova, Infection, Immunity, Inflammation Department and Chemistry Department, University of Leicester

Transcriptional profiling of disease-induced host responses in bovine tuberculosis
Elihu Aranday-Cortes, Philip J. Hogarth, Daryan A. Kaveh, Adam O. Whelan, Bernardo Villarreal-Ramos, Ajit Lalvani, H. Martin Vordermeier, Animal Heath & Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Surrey

Measuring phosphorylation of the metabolic regulator GarA in living mycobacteria
Barbara Rieck, A. R. Bottrill, H M O’Hare, Department of Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation, University of Leicester

Session 3: Offered papers

Genome-wide mapping of the GlnR regulon in Mycobacterium smegmatis
Victoria Jenkins, Brian Robertson and Kerstin Williams, MRC CMBI, Flowers Building, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London

Identification of novel Mt-GuaB2 inhibitor series active against M. tuberculosis
Veeraraghavan Usha, Judith V. Hobrath, Sudagar S. Gurcha, Robert C. Reynoldsand Gurdyal S. Besra, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham

ATP-dependent Mur ligases in the biogenesis of cell wall peptidoglycan in Mycobacterium tuberculosis: novel targets for anti-TB drug discovery
Tulika Munshi, Antima Gupta, Dimitrios Evangelopolous, Juan David Guzman, Nicholas H. Keep, Simon Gibbons and Sanjib Bhakta, Mycobacteria Research Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Institute of Structural & Molecular Biology, Birkbeck, University of London

Impaired host immune system favours tuberculosis induced by Mycobacterium africanum but not Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Leopold. D. Tientcheu, J. Sutherland, B. de Jong, S. Smith, H. M. Dockrell, M. O. Ota, Vaccinology Theme, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia, and Department of Immunology and Infection, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Disease, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

AFC Winter 2012

Held at Imperial College, London

January 6th 2012

Scientific Programme

Session 1

Independent impact of tuberculosis disease stage and HIV co-infection on Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)-specific cellular immunity
Katrina M Pollock, Montamat-Sicotte D, Cooke G, Kapembwa M, Kon O M, Taylor G P and Lalvani A. Tuberculosis Research Unit, Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London

Mycobacterial Growth Indicator Tube (MGIT) assay as a correlate of protection against TB
Leanne Marsay, R. Tanner, H. Poyntz, K. Griffiths, E. Stylianou, M. Kostov, H. Fletcher, S. Sharpe, H. McShane. The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

Increased diagnostic yield of sputum samples for Mycobacterium tuberculosis by loop mediated amplification (LAMP) compared to sputum microscopy in Kerbala, Iraq
Mohanad Ahmed, Hassan Abood, Natalie Garton and Mike Barer.West Euphrates Research Unit, Kerbala University, Kerbala, Iraq

Evaluation of the influence of the route of administration in the immunogenicity of Ad5-Ag85A as booster in BCG vaccinated cattle
Adam Whelan, Pinar Court, Glyn Hewinson, Xhou Zing, Derek Clifford, Martin Vordermeier, Bernardo Villarreal-Ramos. TB Research Group, Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Surrey

A TetR-type regulator represses the production of oleic acid in mycobacteria
Mahmudul Hasan Sikder, Mike Withers, Ricardo Balhana, Neil Stoker and Sharon Kendall. Department of Pathology and Infectious Diseases, The Royal Veterinary College, London

Session 2

Vitamin D accelerates resolution of inflammatory responses during tuberculosis treatment
Anna KCoussens, Hanifa Y, Nikolayevskyy V, Elkington PT, Islam K, Timms PM, Venton TR, Bothamley GH, Packe GE, Darmalingam M, Davidson RN, Milburn HJ, Baker LV, Barker RD, Mein CA, Bhaw-Rosun L, Nuamah R, Young DB, Drobniewski FA, Griffiths CJ, Wilkinson RJ, Martineau AR. Division of Mycobacterial Research, MRC National Institute of Medical Research, London

Expression of the two ClpP protease subunits in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Yoann Personne, Amanda C. Brown, Tanya Parish. Barts and London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London

Phthiocerol dimycocerosate waxes are potential biomarkers for the rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis in sputum
David E. Minnikin, Ruth McNerney,Denise M. O’ Sullivan, Simona C. Nicoara, Elizabeth L. Corbett, Reggie Mutetwa, Stanley Mungofa, Oona Y-C. Lee, Max W. Bardwell, Geraint H. Morgan. School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham

Systems pharmacology approach to antimycobacterial drug discovery. Luiz Pedro S. de Carvalho and Douglas Young. Division of Mycobacterial Research, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London

Serodiagnosis of tuberculosis: due to change track
Juraj Ivanyi. Guy’s Campus of Kings College London