Senior lecturer with 14 year’s experience of HE teaching, predominantly Immunology and Cancer Biology. Supervised PhD completions in Cancer Biology, iPSC, and meningococcal vaccines.

Research interests are in Oncology, with a particular focus on Cancer Genetics, Cancer Biology, Immuno-Oncology and Pharmacognosy.

Professor Dr. Krassimir Metodiev, MD, Ph.D., DSc(Med), is Head of the Department of Preclinical and Clinical Sciences, Medical University, Varna, Bulgaria; President, IMAB; Vice-President, FESCI; Referent, UICC; and Director, ARW Bioterrorism, Scientific Affairs’ Division, NATO. His specialties are immunology and clinical microbiology. He has published 240 papers, IF 174.00, 7 books on medicine, and 2 books on poetry. He is editor in chief of the Journal of IMAB and editorial board member of IJIP, EJI, CEJM, JAA, and JISAO. He has attended 120 congresses worldwide, is a plenary speaker, and has been the chairperson of several sessions and workshops. He has been guest professor in Germany (Institute for Immunology, Munich); Austria (Danube University, Krems); Norway (The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo); and Israel (Hadassah-Jerusalem, Rambam-Haifa, Sheba-Tel Hashomer).

immunology, autoimmunity

R. P. Iyer, (Kris), Ph.D., FRSC is the co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals. He has more than 25 years’ experience in Biotechnology industry in drug discovery and development in diverse therapeutic areas including antivirals, inflammation and immune-oncology. Kris is a leading innovator in the fields of nucleic acid chemistry, bioorganic chemistry and pharmaceutical sciences with over 100 publications and 200 issued, as well as, filed US and international patents. Prior to Spring Bank, Kris was the co-founder and VP of Discovery of Origenix Technologies and also served as Associate Director of Antisense Discovery at Hybridon, Inc. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals and is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Oligomerix, Inc., NY.

Cancer Immunology

Dr. Jerald C. Sadoff is currently the Head of Early Development of the Crucell Vaccine Institute which is the Center of Excellence for Vaccine Development for Johnson & Johnson Companies Worldwide. Dr. Sadoff has spent his entire career developing vaccines against a large number of bacterial, viral and parasitic diseases, 11 of which have been licensed for human use and several currently are in Phase IIB and Phase III clinical trials. He currently serves on several IPCAVD Scientific Advisory Boards for NIH sponsored HIV vaccine efforts and is on the NIAID AIDS Vaccine Research Working Group. Over the last 35 years, he has authored over 350 articles, book chapters, and abstracts and has 18 issued patents

Vaccine Development

Pierre A. MORGON is Chief Executive Officer of MRGN Advisors and Regional Partner for Switzerland at Mérieux Développement, an evergreen investment structure focused on medical devices, in vitro diagnostics and patient management services. He is also Chairman of the Board of Virometix since January 2017, a company developing proprietary synthetic nanoparticle platform in vaccines and immunotherapeutic drugs for viral diseases and cancer, as well as Non-Executive Director to the Board of Theradiag since March 2012, a company focusing on in vitro diagnostics in auto-immunity, infectious diseases and allergy, and Non-Executive Director to the Board of Eurocine Vaccines since December 2013, a company dedicated to developing nasal vaccines. He joined the board of Virometix as chairman in January 2017

Vaccines and Immunotherapeutic drugs for Viral diseases and Cancer

Benoit Tano, M.D. is a specialist, pioneer, and the Minneapolis area’s foremost expert in the field of Integrative Immunity. Dr. Tano is the founder of Integrative Immunity Health System, PC located in Edina, Minnesota. He is Johns Hopkins-fellowship trained in allergy and clinical immunology and authored the number one bestselling book, The Layman’s Guide to Integrative Immunity (2016). He combines his vast expertise in allergy and clinical immunology and in hormone imbalance syndrome to treat the root causes of 21st-century chronic diseases.

Clinical Immunology

Professor Andrzej K. Siwicki, VMD, Ph.D., DSc is a Head of Department Microbiology and Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury and Department of Pathology and Immunology IFI in Olsztyn, Poland. He is author of over 500 original papers in reputed journals and about 200 scientific communications (index-h 32, index of citation: 4502). His fields of interest are modulation of defence mechanisms and protection against diseases by natural and synthetic products in animals, influence of pollutants on the cell-mediated immunity and restoration of immunity after suppression induced by xenobiotics. Developed a new possibility in the comparative immunotoxicology for control of effect of xenobiotics and pharmaceutical products on the defence mechanisms and protection against diseases. He attended scientific missions in USA, Japan, France and Israel, was a co-ordinator of USDA and FAO projects and he is professor conferring of 14 PhDs and 4 DSc.

Microbiology and Clinical Immunology

1998-2003 Member of the Institut Universitaire de France Junior, then Honorary position 1998-2000 Senior Scientist at the Mind Body Institute of Harvard Medical School, USA 31/05/1995 Habilitation for directing research in Natural Sciences, University Lille 1 3/02/1993 Ph.D. in Life Science and Health, University Lille 1

Immunology

Prof. Dr. Ignat Ignatov was born on January 1, 1963 in the town of Teteven, Bulgaria. Тhe family Ignatov is from village of Gradina, region of Pleven, Bulgaria. In 1976 descrebes a phenomenon in which little apertures act like optic lenses. In 1989 Ignatov majored in physics from “Kliment Ohridski” Sofia University with master degree. In the same year he began his professional work in the sphere of medical biophysics. In 1996 he founded the Scientific and Research Center of Medical Biophysics (SRCMB) of which he is also an owner. Prof. Dr. Ignat Ignatov was a consultant of the National Center of Public Health (NCPH) at the Ministry of Health until 2003. The Bulgarian scientist is involved in research projects for the study of biophysical and medical effects in the application of alternative methodics for the influencing of human health. Bulgaria has a Health Act, which authorizes the practice of non-conventional (alternative) methodics. Trainings are carried out. From 2007 Ignat Ignatov is honorable doctor in European Academy of Natural Sciences (Germany). From 2013 he is Doctor of Science and Professor in The Russian Academy for Natural History. Prof. Ignatov is Chief Editor of two US journals. The first is Journal of Medicine, Physiology and Biophysics. The second is Journal of Health, Medicine and Nursing. The Bulgarian scientist is editor in chief in European Journal of Molecular Biotechnology, European Journal of Medicine - international bilingual scientific Journal and Research & Reviews in Biosciences.

Medicine, Physiology and Biophysics

He graduated from Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine in 1990. He completed his specialist education in Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine Internal Medicine Department in 1995 and his branch of Medical Oncology Unit in 1999. Associate Professor in 2000, Professor in 2007. Between 2004 and 2006, she worked as a guest lecturer at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, USA to study breast cancer. Hacettepe University Institute of Health Sciences in 2013 and Hacettepe University Cancer Institute in 2013-2016 and Hacettepe University Internal Medicine Department and Medical Oncology Department in 2013-2015.

Oncology

Sr. Research Associate at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Former Research Assistant at Baylor College of Medicine Former Research Assistant at New York Medical College

Epidemiolgy, Biochemistry

Dr. Luiz Werber-Bandeira is a physician with emphasis in Clinical Immunology, head of Clinical Immunology at the Santa Casa da Misericórdia Hospital and responsible for all the professional team that compose the clinical body of Imunoderm, in the Botafogo neighborhood and Ilha do Governador, Rio de January. For 36 years in the profession, he has done Post-Doctorate in Immuno-Genetics from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FioCruz-RJ), a master's degree and a PhD from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). He is coordinator of the Postgraduate Course in Immunology and Clinical and Laboratory Allergy, organizer responsible for the Research Line of the Clinical and Experimental Immunology Unit of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia in Rio de Janeiro, as well as a professor who participates in the line of research in PhotoDermatology and Immunology of UFRJ.

PhotoDermatology and Immunology

Dr. Ahmed Shoker was born in Egypt, graduated from the University of Alexandria, Egypt and moved to Canada in 1981. He received his training in general medicine at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. He received his training in nephrology and transplantation at the University of Toronto where he received his fellowship training in transplantation between 1987 and1990. He then moved to the University of Saskatchewan. Currently, he is a Professor of Medicine and Nephrology at the University of Saskatchewan. He is the Medical Director of the provincial Transplant Program. His research interests include clinical trials and basic research in the field of immunosuppression and inflammation.

His current interest is the relationship between cardiovascular disease risk factors and inflammatory markers before and after kidney transplantation

As a Professor of Clinical and Chemical Pathology with an MD degree from the Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University and as the current Head of the Electron Microscopic Research Department in the Theodor Bilharz Research Institute , a medical research institution affiliated to the Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research I focus my research on the role of immune cells in combating hepatic diseases caused by helminthic (schistosomiasis), bacterial or viral infections (hepatitis virus ) using electron microscopy and immunoelectron microscopy to visualize cellular changes accompanying such diseases. I was involved in scientific cooperative research with German and French institutions and I am very open to different cultures. I speak fluent English, German, French, and Arabic.

I focus my research on the role of immune cells in combating hepatic diseases caused by helminthic (schistosomiasis), bacterial or viral infections (hepatitis virus ) using electron microscopy and immunoelectron microscopy to visualize cellular changes accompanying such diseases.

Qingxian Lu received his Bachelor's degree from Shandong University, Master's from Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, and Ph. D.The University of Texas.

His interests are focused on elucidating molecular mechanisms of three closely-related receptor tyrosine kinases, called Tyro3, Axl and Mertk (TAM), in the regulation of phagocytic activity in professional and non-professional phagocytes, particularly in the retinal pigmental epithelium cells in the eye. Phagocytic clearance of the spent photoreceptor distal outer segment (OS) tips by the retinal pigmental epithelium (RPE) cells is essential to maintain photoreceptor homeostasis. Failure of RPE phagocytosis of the OS leads to retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Mutation in the Mertk receptor tyrosine kinase causes photoreceptor degeneration. To understand the molecular role of Mertk in phagocytosis, we have used Mertk mutated RPE cells as a model to identify Mertk downstream target genes or signaling molecules that are involved in regulation of the phagocytic events.

Associate Professor Dr. Gamil G. S. Zeedan obtained Ph.D. Virology ,Cairo University Egypt , MVSCs Virology, Cairo University. BVSCs , Cairo University . 2015 up to date Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Virology at Clinical laboratory Sciences at College of Applied Medical Sciences Shaqra University Saudi Arabia,2014 -2015 Associate Professor of Microbiology at National Research Center Ministry of High Education - Cairo Egypt -Cairo Egypt, .10-2013 Assistant Professor of Microbiology at Faculty of Medicine and Applied Medical Sciences –Northern Border University (NBU)- KSA) for 3acdemic years 2007- 2010,Assistant Researcher at National Research Center- Ministry of High Education - Cairo Egypt. He teaching the following curriculum,Medical Microbiology and Virology, Diagnostic Microbiology ,Clinical Rotation of Microbiology and Clinical Rotation Immunology & Virology. 2015- up-to-date Microbiology at Clinical laboratory Sciences at College of Applied Medical Sciences Shaqra University Saudi Arabia . 2010-52013 Microbiology in faculty of Medicine and Applied medical Sciences - Northern Border University, Saudi Arabia. Participate in teaching Medical Microbiology ( Virology ) MICM 311 courses for 3rd-year Medical students (3 hours/week).Participate in teaching Diagnostic Microbiology

Microbiology and Virology

Charles J Malemud received the PhD from George Washington University in 1973 and completed postdoctoral studies at the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1977. He is Professor of Medicine & Anatomy in the Division of Rheumatic Diseases and Senior Investigator in the Arthritis Research Laboratory at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. He has published more than 200 papers and reviews primarily in the field of chondrocyte biology. He is on the editorial board of several rheumatology, immunology and musculoskeletal journals and is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Clinical and Cellular Immunology.

Biology of the Musculoskeletal System Intracellular Signal Transduction Pathways Inflammation Pro-inflammatory, Anti-Inflammatory & Anabolic Cytokines Apoptosis Matrix metalloproteinases Osteoarthritis Rheumatoid Arthritis Fibromyalgia Autoimmune Disorders Research Interest

Sudhir Gupta is a Professor of Medicine, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, and Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Chief of the Division of Basic and Clinical Immunology, and the Director of the Jeffrey Modell Diagnostic Center in Primary Immunodeficiencies at the University of California, Irvine. He also serves as Director of Scientific Development at the Sass Foundation for Medical Research in New York. Dr Gupta received his medical and doctorate degrees from the King George's Medical College in Lucknow, India. Previous appointments include Associate Professor of Medicine and Immunology at the Weill Cornell Medical College, and Associate Member at the Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, both in New York, New York. Dr Gupta is board certified in Clinical Immunology by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada; he is board certified in Allergy and Immunology, and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology by the American Board of Allergy and Immunology. Dr Gupta is a Master of the American College of Physicians. Dr. Gupta has served on a number of committees for many leading governmental bodies and organizations, including the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the World Health Organization. Dr Gupta has made many original contributions in the field of cellular and molecular immunology as it relates to primary immunodeficiency diseases, AIDS, cancer research, and aging. These findings have been published in high-impact journals, including Science, Nature, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the Journal of Experimental Medicine, the Journal of Clinical Investigation, the New England Journal of Medicine, and Aging Cell. Dr Gupta has published more than 500 scientific papers, invited reviews, and book chapters. He has edited 24 books in various areas of cellular, molecular, and applied immunology, including one on primary immunodeficiency.

Molecular signaling of apoptosis, Dendritic cell biology, B cell biology, Genetic basis of primary immunodeficiency diseases

Michael Tainsky is a molecular cell biologist who has been studying the molecular basis of human cancer for more than 30 years. In 1998, he came to the Karmanos Cancer Institute at Wayne State University School of Medicine after 13 years on the faculty of the University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX, and 8 years at NCI/NIH. He has studied the biological effects of oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, and transcription factor on tumor cells; and in the Li-Fraumeni Cancer Syndrome, he studied the mechanisms of cellular immortalization. Recently, he extended his mechanistic cancer research to translational applications of genomics and proteomics to molecular diagnostics of ovarian cancer. For the past 10 years, his laboratory team has developed the epitope cloning technology and protein microarray immunoassays to detect tumor autoantibodies in patients’ sera. His Epitomics Biomarker Technology identifies the autoantigen biomarkers using novel informatics tools for the classification of patients. In 2009, he published a 330-page book as editor in the Methods in Molecular Biology Series from Humana Press entitled Tumor Biomarker Discovery. He was invited to guest edit Special Issues of the journal Cancer Biomarkers on Antibody Biomarkers and Biomarkers in Ovarian Cancer. Dr. Tainsky holds the Barbara and Fred Erb Chair in Cancer Genetics at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute. He is a professor in the Department of Oncology.

• Molecular genetic mechanisms by which normal cells become malignant • Pathway analysis of gene expression changes leading to cellular immortalization • Development of novel cancer diagnostic tests for early detection of cancer in the form of a complex blood test

Martin D’Souza has completed his PhD from the University of Pittsburgh, PA. He is the director of Graduate Programs at Mercer University, College of Pharmacy and Co-Director of the Center for Drug Delivery. He has published more than 80 manuscripts and is on the editorial board of several journals.

The D'Souza nanotechnology laboratory mainly focuses on the design of novel patented technologies to deliver nano vaccines via the oral, buccal, parenteral and microneedle based transdermal route. Examples include: viral vaccines such as influenza vaccines, HIV and human papilloma vaccines (HPV); bacterial vaccines such as pneumonia, meningitis, TB and typhoid; and cancer vaccines, such as breast, melanoma, prostate, liver and ovarian. Recently, we also have been involved in tissue bio-engineering- applications including the use of cell encapsulation and thermo-sensitive gels for transplantation of pancreatic cells in diabetes.

Ahmed Hegazi (or Ahmed Gaffer Hegazi; احمد جعفر حجازى) (born May 31, 1948) is currently a Professor of Microbiology and Immunology in the department of Zoonotic Diseases, National Research Center, Egypt. Prof. Hegazi received his masters degree in 1979, and his PhD in 1981. Hegazi's research work has been focused lately on bee products and their therapeutic effects. Hegazi Organized and contributed to national and international research projects since 1977 and up till now; he has been the principal investigator on multiple research projects within the National Research Center. He has published 166 scientific papers and articles in national and international journals. He also served on the board of multiple national and international scientific journals. Dr. Hegazi is also the president of the Egyptian Environmental Society for Uses and Production of Bee Products, secretary of the Egyptian Society of Apitherapy, secretary general of the African Federation of Apiculture Associations, and a member of the International Apitherapy Commission (APIMONDIA). Awards First Class Decoration of Excellence, Egypt, 1995 The Senior Scientist Prize of National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt, 1996 The National Scientific Prize In Biological Sciences, Egypt, 1990 The Scientific Prize of The National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt, 1989 The Second Best Research Paper Award, International Congress of Propolis, Bones Airs, Argentina, 2000 Main Speaker Award,10th Academic Conference, PRA and NAS (Nippon Apitherapy Soc.) Japan, 2006 2 Bronze medals from The International Innovation Fair of the Middle East, Kuwait, 2007 Patents Patent No. 8901 at 22/08/2006: A novel drug from natural products with new therapeutic modalities in treatment of psoriasis Patent No. 1005 at 02/01/2006: A novel drug from natural resources for controlling Fascioliasis Patent No. 270: at 01/06/2005: A novel drug from medicinal plants with antiatherosclerotic (hypocholesterolaemic), antioxidant and cardio protective properties. Patent No. 272: at 01/06/2005: A novel drug from natural resources with antiatherosclerotic (hypocholesterolaemic), antioxidant and cardio protective properties. Scientific Activities Editor in the following International Journals: Research Journal of Allergy, 2007 International Journal of Virology, 2007 Current Research In Tuberculosis, 2007 Research Journal of Veterinary Science, 2007 Research Journal of Microbiology, 2007 International Journal of Cancer Research, 2007 Research Journal of Medicinal plants, 2007 Referee in the following International Journals: Journal of Planta Medica, 2005 Journal of Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2006 International Journal of Radiation Biology, 2007

Apitherapy, Immunology

Thomas Böldicke completed his PhD at the age of 26 years at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin. He has been working for 25 years in the field of recombinant antibodies particularly intrabodies. He has published more than 20 papers in reputed journals.

Immunology

Professor Tim Elliott is Professor of Experimental Medicine within Medicine at the University of Southampton. Professor Tim Elliott left the University of Oxford with a first in Biochemistry in 1983, received a PhD from the University of Southampton in 1986 and completed his postdoctoral training at MIT. He held a lectureship and later a professorship in immunology (Weatherall Institute for Molecular Medicine and Balliol College, University of Oxford) between 1990-2000 before being appointed to the Chair of Experimental Oncology, School of Medicine, University of Southampton. He was Associate Dean (Research) for the Faculty of Medicine between 2005 and 2015. He’s held appointments on Scientific Advisory boards at the Wellcome Trust, the Association of International Cancer Research, Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, and Symphogen, and currently chairs the CRUK Expert Review Group for Cancer Immunology He has published over 130 papers (h-index, 48) in the field of molecular immunology; was visiting lecturer of the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, University of Edmonton, Alberta in 1999; and recently held a visiting Professorship at the Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Biology and in 2014 he was elected to the Academy of Medical Sciences. Professor Elliott was amongst the key group of immunologists who developed studies of antigen presentation at the molecular level during the 1980s, undertaking a series of studies to determine and define the immunostimulatory properties of MHC Class I molecules and elucidating the molecular mechanisms of co-factor assisted peptide loading of MHC Class I in antigen presenting cells: work considered to be the fundamental foundation of much of the recent work on antigen presentation. The work underpins rational T-cell based vaccine design and continues to fuel translational research in Southampton where discoveries in the areas of antigen discovery, T cell regulation and immunodominance are making a significant impact on new and ongoing cancer immunotherapy trials. His mechanistic studies have always benefitted from an active interface with the physical sciences including collaborations with synthetic and computational chemistry and recently with Microsoft UK. He developed a 4 year integrated PhD programme in Biomedical Science which is now in its eleventh year.

Immunology,Immunotherapy,Experimental Medicine, Experimental Oncology

Dr. Schwarz received her medical degree from Washington University. She then completed her residency in pediatrics and fellowship in pediatric gastroenterology at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Schwarz is Director of the Pediatric Liver Center at Johns Hopkins Children's Center in which there are over 1,000 patients who receive medical care. She focuses on liver disorders of childhood with a particular emphasis on biliary atresia, metabolic liver disorders, autoimmune liver disease, and viral hepatitis B and C. Dr. Schwarz is Medical Director of the Pediatric Liver Transplant Program at Johns Hopkins and directs NIH-funded grants in a variety of pediatric liver diseases, including biliary atresia, and other cholestatic liver diseases of childhood such as Alagille Syndrome, PFIC 1,2 and 3, alpha-1 antitrypson deficiency, mitochondrial hepatopathy and cystic fibrosis liver disease. She also directs grants and clinical trials in pediatric hepatitis B and C. Dr. Schwarz was named one of Baltimore Magazine's top 25 pediatricians, and she has won teaching awards at both St. Louis University and Johns Hopkins University. In 2005, she received the Distinguished Service Award of the North American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition . She is currently the President of this organization. Since 2001, she has been named one of the Castle Connolly Top Doctors in America. Dr. Schwarz also has been designated a U.S. News and World Report “Top Doctor” and identified as being in the top 1% of pediatric gastroenterologists in the nation.

Biliary Atresia, Metabolic Liver Disorders, Autoimmune Liver Disease, Viral Hepatitis B and C Pediatric Liver Transplantation

Federica Marelli-Berg qualified in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Milan in 1989, and specialized in Hematology in 1993 at the University of Pavia, Italy. In 1997 she completed her PhD studies at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School (London) under the supervision of Professor R. Lechler. In 2000 she was awarded a Governors’ lectureship by Imperial College London, where she continued her academic career to become Professor of Immunology in 2011. She joined the WHRI (Barts and The London SMD, QMUL) as Professor of Cardiovascular Immunology in November 2011, and in January 2014 she was invited to lead the Centre for Biochemical Pharmacology. In 2015 she has been awarded a prestigious Personal Chair in Cardiovascular Immunology by the British Heart Foundation.

Cardiovascular Immunology, Biochemical Pharmacology

Ildikó Molnár MD has completed her PhD at the age of 39 years at the candidate of science course (PhD) of Hungarian Academy of Science. Work and research connected her to Kenézy County and Teaching Hospital from 1977 to 2008. Now she is the chief of EndoMed, Immunoendocrinology, Private Outpatient Clinic from 2008. She is an expert in ELISA, Western and ECL blottings, colorimetric iodine measurement, as well as in allergy testing and bone density measurement with Hologic DEXA. She has published more than 48 papers in reputed journals, 16 chapters and 2 books.

ELISA, Western and ECL blottings, colorimetric iodine measurement

Dr. Bozena Futoma-Kol‚och graduated from University of Wrocl‚aw in 2004. She received her PhD mentored by Prof. W. Doroszkiewicz in microbiology from the University of Wrocław in 2008. After that she has held academic position of Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology in the Institute of Genetics and Microbiology at University of Wrocl‚aw. She is a member of Polish Society of Microbiologists (which belongs to the Federation of European Microbiological Societies - FEMS), European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases - ESCMID, and International Complement Society - ICS. She has published more than 50 papers in national and international journals, 30 presentations at congresses, with several awards. Dr. Futoma-Kołoch's research program focuses on the bacterial surface antigens: lipopolysaccharide (LPS, endotoxin) and outer membrane proteins (OMP) as molecular targets of the protective immune response against pathogenic bacteria, especially Salmonella. Investigations on susceptibility of Salmonella strains possessing sialic acid-containing LPS to human serum (HS) resulted in many publications about the role of atypical bacterial endotoxin in determining complement system activation through the alternative pathway. It was also shown that differential sensitivity of tested bacteria to HS might be due to a weaker C3 serum protein activation on strongly sialylated LPS and a binding of C3 components to the OMP.

Immunology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology