iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

IMAGE Lab @labphan.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

Intravital imaging showed these macs nibbling and engulfing live melanoma cells. This was independent of PS receptor MERTK. How are they able to recognise and phagocytose melanoma cells without opsonisation by antibodies? Can we exploit this for cancer immunotherapy? Lots to do! Please share! 2/2

0175

IMAGE Lab @labphan.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

...the Macro category left me feeling attacked...😅

020

IMAGE Lab @labphan.bsky.social · 10/07/2025

Very excited at the chance to work with new people with new ideas in immunology! Really keen to hear from people from diverse backgrounds with different ways of thinking. International applicants seeking freedom to pursue BlueSky projects welcome. Come for the science. Stay for the vibe! #immunosky

Lab Big Day Out June 2025! On ferry to Manly on a cold winter's day!

141

IMAGE Lab @labphan.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

But sc data is noisy and nonlinear. AAnet takes archetype analysis to the next level by using an autoencoder to transform the data into a simplicial latent space. AAnet more accurately defines heterogeneity within cellular clusters & druggable transcriptional programs that drive heterogeneity. 3/3

010

IMAGE Lab @labphan.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

This was associated with more rapid secretion of neutralising antibodies against the ancestral strain in the vaccine as well as Delta and Omicron variants. In agreement, there was more somatic hypermutation & antibody diversification in the boosted dLN compared to ndLN.

Serum neutralising antibody levels against ancestral, Delta and Omicron variants.

120

IMAGE Lab @labphan.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

Please note caveats about persistent GCs from the COVID mRNA vaccine (Turner, Ellebedy et al. Nature 2021). Regardless, we did see more GCs in the boosted dLN compared to ndLN

Flow cytometric analysis of fine needle biopsies from healthy participants with vaccine boost in the same compared to opposite arm.

120

IMAGE Lab @labphan.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

This was all done in inbred genetically modified mice using intravital microscopy. Could boosting the same versus opposite side make a difference in 'wildtype' 'outbred' humans? This is where the Kirby Institute team came into their own! In the clinical study they also sampled the LN by FNB!

Experimental design of clinical study comparing boosting of the COVID mRNA vaccine in the same or opposite arm of healthy participants.

120

IMAGE Lab @labphan.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

What about the SSMs? To test if vaccine had 'primed' the dLN SSMs we synchronously immunised the ndLN with an irrelevant non-cognate antigen. Now when we boost the 'ndLN' with cognate antigen there was larger recall & more GCs, just like dLN! This effect was abolished by anti-CSF1R mAb blocking.

Experimental design and enumeration of the recall response in non-draining lymph node that had been 'primed' with an irrelevant, non-cognate antigen.

120

IMAGE Lab @labphan.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

Rama did scRNAseq & showed that dLN Bmems were distinct from ndLN Bmems. Upregulated dLN genes were involved in cell adhesion, migration & localisation, BCR activation & GC formation. Upregulated ndLN genes were involved in cell migration, tissue residence & plasma cell vs GC differentiation.

Heatmap and violin plots showing differentially expressed genes between memory B cells in the draining lymph node, non-draining lymph node and spleen and naïve B cells in the lymph node and spleen.

110

IMAGE Lab @labphan.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

Is this relative positioning of Bmems in relation to the SCS niche important? Boosting of the dLN led to bigger and better Ab responses with more GCs & affinity maturation compared ndLN. But when SSMs are depleted with anti-CSF1R this effect is abolished.

Flow cytometric analysis showing impaired recall response and GC re-entry in the draining lymph node when subcapsular sinus macrophages are depleted with anti-CSF1R mAb.

110

IMAGE Lab @labphan.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

Rama used intravital microscopy to show that Bmems were positioned deeper in follicle ndLN vs dLN where they were largely confined to the SCS layer. Depletion of CD169+ SCS macrophages (SSMs) with blocking anti-CSF1R mAb led to relocalisation of dLN Bmems deeper in the follicle.

120

IMAGE Lab @labphan.bsky.social · 23/12/2024

Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!

020

IMAGE Lab @labphan.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

B CELL FUN FACT: Secrets of the GC #1 Walther Flemming described GCs in 1885 paper "Studies in Tissue Regeneration". He mistakenly thought they were sites of cell birth (hence name) & tingible bodies ("tingiblen Körper") were daughter cells about to be born! link.springer.com/article/10.1...

03910

IMAGE Lab @labphan.bsky.social · 02/12/2024

... presidential address by "the Austin Powers of Australian immunology" José Villadangos & awards ceremony was great reminder of all things wonderful ASI does for members & esp promoting ECRs & a fair go for everyone. Congrats to organisers on great meeting & all the winners! Proud to be a part! 🙏

051

IMAGE Lab @labphan.bsky.social · 02/12/2024

This brings us to the last day #ASI2024 & a packed auditorium still bringing the energy! Laura Mackay kept it real talking about TRM cells & breast cancer. Kenji Kabashima talking about perivascular immune hubs in the skin. Claudier Kemper took us on a TdF through complosome - who knew!...

130

IMAGE Lab @labphan.bsky.social · 01/12/2024

... #ASI2024 would not be complete without the conference dinner limerick competition won by Jarrod Kennedy & table 27: For Ideas grants Suzanne waited, But the news left her deflated, If you've no Ideas, Then have a few beers, Next round just call yourself David! But can you spot the bursa?

110

IMAGE Lab @labphan.bsky.social · 01/12/2024

...leading to THE highlight of #ASI2024 the Lafferty Debate chaired by Misty Jenkins featuring for AFF. Alex Davenport (C), Di Yu & Deborah Burnett & NEG. Antje Blumenthal (C), Vanessa Bryant & @ianparish.bsky.social with brilliant ROFL monologue about coffee... Photo by @kimljacobson.bsky.social

170

IMAGE Lab @labphan.bsky.social · 01/12/2024

#ASI2024 day 3 was a big day for B cells! Julie Zikherman showed how particulate Ag bypass LYN inhibition, @montserrat-anguera.bsky.social showed how XCI in T cells contribute to SLE, there was a whole B cell session featuring @kimljacobson.bsky.social @iancockburn.bsky.social & Julia Ellyard...

151

IMAGE Lab @labphan.bsky.social · 30/11/2024

It's been a whirlwind #ASI2024 only now catching my breath! Filling in the gaps... Day 2 highlights Peter Doherty Medals awarded by Peter Doherty to Susan Christo & Carolien van de Sandt from the Peter Doherty Institute! Bookended by extraordinary Burnett Oration by the one & only Carola Vinuesa.

130

IMAGE Lab @labphan.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

What an epic day 1 #ASI2024! So many brilliant talks. Highlight was Prof Antony Basten’s Foundation Lecture on the origin story of the “Australian model” of double fellowship in clinical & laboratory immunology. Did you know Jacques Miller, Gus Nossal and Don Metcalfe all trained at RPAH lab?

150

IMAGE Lab @labphan.bsky.social · 25/11/2024

The #ASI2024 SIG Workshops did not disappoint. Great range talks. Some highlights. Carola Vinuesa taking us on a TdF through TLR7 and monogenic SLE. Marcel Nold on his Anakinra Pilot study (comes with light sabre!) and @lggray95.bsky.social looking at XCI in SLE. Day 1 about officially start!

130

IMAGE Lab @labphan.bsky.social · 24/11/2024

1100