Abstract
Cytokines, such as Interferons (IFNs) and IL-6, are small proteins produced by the immune system. They can have both beneficial and deleterious effects in cancer development and progression. These molecules are powerful and fast. Understanding how they elicit their biologic responses by activating Janus kinases (JAKs) and signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs) is of fundamental importance for our ability to manage cancers that depend on JAK/STAT signalling or have a strong inflammatory component. How epigenetic modifiers can trigger IFN signalling and potentially modify immune responses in high grade serous carcinomas, and how IL-6-type cytokines can drive clear cell ovarian cancers will be main topics of this seminar.
Synopsis
Ana Costa-Pereira did her PhD at University College Cork (Ireland) under Prof. Tom Cotter, where her studies focussed on prostate cancer apoptosis and subsequently a 6- year long postdoctoral training under Dr Ian Kerr, a pioneer in antiviral responses and cytokine signalling, at the Imperial cancer Research Fund (ICRF) (now The Francis Crick Institute), where her research focussed on large throughput analyses of canonical and noncanonical Interferon and IL-6 signalling pathways. She joined Imperial College as a Lecturer in 2005, where she has continued to develop her interest in cytokine signalling.
Ana’s career has not followed the traditional academic route and Ana has developed expertise in fields other than pure research. Of note are the development, from root, of a new undergraduate degree that completely shifted away from traditional didactic academic teaching to embrace active learning and experiential learning, and which involved developing a new understanding of how students best learn, changing her teaching style and galvanising other colleagues to do the same whilst lobbying for support to get the programme of the ground. The programme currently recruits over 1500 students per year and is one of Imperial’s flagship programmes. Ana was also Head of Programme for the first 3 years and, as a result of this transformational experience, has become particularly interested in pedagogical development and educational strategy, completing an MEd in University Learning and Teaching with Distinction in 2022. Her passion for providing students with a well-rounded education, that equips them well beyond just the core academic discipline, has led her to become the Director of the Centre for Languages, Culture and Communication (CLCC), which proudly houses the Horizons and I-Explore programmes, the lunchtime and evening classes (opened to all students, staff and public) and two of the very best Science Communication Masters.
Ana’s time at work is thus divided between her research and teaching in cancer and immunology, and her Director’s role but Ana will focus today’s seminar on her research interests and her team’s most recent findings in immune innate signalling in ovarian cancer cells.