Dr Laura Ridgley
I joined the ICVI in October 2018 as a postdoctoral research assistant. My PhD at Newcastle University focussed on T-cells in rheumatoid arthritis. I am interested in immune regulation and my ICVI funded work will explore how immunotherapy can be used to promote tumour specific responses.
Most people know BCG as the vaccine given to babies to prevent TB, but it is also used to boost immune responses to cancer. My project aims to understand the characteristics of BCG expanded Gamma Delta T-cells, why they are so good at killing tumour cells and how BCG influences these responses.
The use of combining immunotherapy with chemotherapy is a current interest of Prof Dalgleish. We hope that my work might give us the potential to take this forward as an immunotherapy to be used in the clinic. None of my work would be possible without the help of the ICVI’s many fundraisers, and I would like to thank everyone who is involved.