The Rosalind Franklin Institute is welcoming Dr Isabela Pedroza-Pacheco on Thursday 22nd January from 10:30 – 11:30.

Talk title:

DECODing tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS)-mediat3ed anti-tumour responses.

Abstract:

Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) are ectopic lymphoid formations that arise in chronic inflammatory conditions, including cancer and autoimmune diseases. In colorectal cancer (CRC), the presence of TLSs has been associated with improved patient prognosis and enhanced response to immunotherapy. However, the specific roles of B cells within these structures and the mechanisms governing their regulation remain poorly understood.

This talk will discuss DECOD-TLS (Discovery and Evaluation of Cellular and Oncological Determinants of Tertiary Lymphoid Structures), a state-of-the-art multi-omics technology framework designed to systematically interrogate fundamental intra- and inter-patient differences in TLSs and their contributions to anti-tumour immunity. This research represents a collaborative effort with the Rosalind Franklin Institute, Oxford Cancer, and the University of Oxford, and extends globally through partnerships with the Ministry of Health in Mexico as part of a global health initiative aimed at improving cancer outcomes in both high-income and low-middle-income countries.

Biography:

Dr. Isabela Pedroza-Pacheco is a Group Leader at the Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, where she leads the Laboratory for Functional Immunology. Her research focuses on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of secondary and tertiary lymphoid structures in vaccination, infection, and cancer, with the goal of identifying mechanistic targets that could be exploited to improve vaccines and therapeutics. Dr. Pedroza completed her PhD in Immunology at University College London and subsequently undertook postdoctoral training at the University of Oxford under the mentorship of Prof. Andrew McMichael and Prof. Seph Borrow. She has made significant contributions to the fields of HIV and cancer immunology as a faculty member of consortiums at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the USA and the Combined Molecular Analysis of Blood and Tissue (COMBAT) in Cancer at Oxford, where she applies advanced technologies, including AI-driven immunology approaches, to disease research.

Since 2023, Dr. Pedroza has served as the programme director of the Oxford Cancer Mexico Initiative, a strategic collaborative alliance between the University of Oxford, the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) in Mexico, and the General Hospital of Mexico. This initiative aims to establish a cross-institutional network between UK and Mexican scientists to accelerate translational cancer research and improve global health outcomes, with a focus on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. In recognition of her contributions, Dr. Pedroza was awarded the “Young Faculty Award” by the Consortia for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development in 2022.

For more information, click here.

To watch the seminar online, please sign up via the link below.

RAL site pass holders are welcome to attend in person (no registration required) in the Franklin’s first floor Hub. To join in person, please arrive in the R113 Franklin foyer at least 5 minutes before the start of the seminar and a member of the team will let you into the building.