To Immunity and Beyond
A series produced by the Oxford Immunology Network, where Professor Paul Klenerman discusses recent groundbreaking publications with colleagues. They explore original scientific goals, challenges encountered, and future ambitions in immunology. The podcast is aimed at students and professionals in immunology, medical sciences, and biology.
Episodes
CellTypeAI: Automated cell identification for scRNA-seq using local generative-AI
A conversation with Dr Rufus Daw about CellTypeAI. As single-cell datasets grow from thousands to hundreds of thousands of cells, accurate cell annotation is becoming a major bottleneck in biomedical research. In this episode, bioinformatician Rufus Daw discusses CellTypeAI, a new locally deployable AI framework that uses large language models to automate cell-type identification from single-cell
The MRC Centre of Research Excellence in Exposome Immunology
A conversation with Professor Sheena Cruickshank about the new MRC Centre of Research Excellence in Exposome Immunology. To mark World Immunology Day, we’re joined by Professor Sheena Cruickshank from the MRC Centre of Research Excellence in Exposome Immunology. Sheena and Paul discuss how environmental and lifestyle exposures, from pollution to microbiome and socioeconomic factors, shape immune r
Unravelling T-Cell Recognition – Insights from Immunology and AI
A conversation with Professor Hashem Koohy about possibilities for use of AI in driving forward T cell research. In the first To Immunity and Beyond episode of 2026, Paul Klenerman speaks with systems biologist Hashem Koohy, whose career journey from pure mathematics to immunology offers a fresh lens on T cell research. Hashem describes how advances in genomics, data science, and AI led him to fo
HIV in 2025 - the latest science, global burden and future outlook
A conversation with Professor Andrew McMichael, Professor Tomáš Hanke, and Dr Fon Acho about current priorities in HIV treatment and prevention. In this episode of To Immunity and Beyond, we talk to HIV immunologist Professor Andrew McMichael, vaccinologist Professor Tomáš Hanke, and Dr Fon Acho, a Cameroonian doctor and Oxford MSc immunology graduate. We discuss the global burden of HIV, and the
Sustained aviremia despite anti-retroviral therapy non-adherence in male children after in utero HIV transmission
A conversation with Philip Goulder about the recent article ‘Sustained aviremia despite anti-retroviral therapy non-adherence in male children after in utero HIV transmission’. In this episode of To Immunity and Beyond, we discuss a prospective study of 284 children from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, who were treated very early with antiretroviral therapy (ART) after mother-to-child transmission of
Regulatory T cell therapy is associated with distinct immune regulatory lymphocytic infiltrates in kidney transplants
A conversation with Fadi Issa about his recent article on regulatory T cell therapy in kidney transplants. In this episode of To Immunity and Beyond, Paul Klenerman talks with surgeon and immunologist Fadi Issa about pioneering regulatory T-cell therapy in kidney transplantation. Fadi shares his journey from reconstructive surgery to immune tolerance research and discusses the groundbreaking, fir
Ebola virus persistence: implications for human-to-human transmission and new outbreaks
A conversation with Miles Carroll and Oliver Meek about their recent Ebola virus persistence review article. In this episode, Oliver Meek and Miles Carroll discuss their recent review on Ebola virus (EBOV) persistence, set against the broader context of the West African epidemic. They share insights into how viral reservoirs form in immune-privileged sites and the immunological signatures linked t
‘Dangerous Matter’: A New Opera on Vaccine Science, Memory, and Innovation
A conversation with Zakiya Leeming and Rachel Hindmarsh about the Thanks for the Memories project and a new opera. The Thanks for the Memories public engagement programme is about to premier a new opera, ‘Dangerous Matter’, at the Royal Northern College of Music on June 24th, 2025, inspired both by the story of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, and by research into immune memory. On this episode we talk
CMV serostatus is associated with improved survival and delayed toxicity onset following anti-PD-1 checkpoint blockade
A conversation with Ben Fairfax about the recent article: CMV serostatus is associated with improved survival and delayed toxicity onset following anti-PD-1 checkpoint blockade. This episode discusses Milotay, G., Little, M., Watson, R.A. et al. CMV serostatus is associated with improved survival and delayed toxicity onset following anti-PD-1 checkpoint blockade. Nat Med (2025). https://doi.org/10
Self-interactive learning: Fusion and evolution of multi-scale histomorphology features for molecular traits prediction in computational pathology
A conversation with Yang Hu about his recent article: Self-interactive learning: Fusion and evolution of multi-scale histomorphology features for molecular traits prediction in computational pathology. This episode discusses Yang Hu et al, ‘Self-interactive learning: Fusion and evolution of multi-scale histomorphology features for molecular traits prediction in computational pathology’, Medical Im
Research with Human Tissue Samples on the International Space Station, with Dr Ghada Alsaleh
Research on human cells in space may uncover the hidden mechanisms behind ageing. Exciting developments are underway at the Space Innovation Lab at the University of Oxford! The launch of human tissue samples to the International Space Station marks a bold and forward-looking step in scientific discovery—one aimed at unravelling the mysteries of ageing. This pioneering research holds tremendous po
Analysis of the diverse antigenic landscape of the malaria protein RH5 identifies a potent vaccine-induced human public antibody clonotype
Dr Kirsty McHugh and Dr Carolyn Nielsen discuss a recent Cell article: ‘Analysis of the diverse antigenic landscape of the malaria protein RH5 identifies a potent vaccine-induced human public antibody clonotype’. This episode discusses the following article: Barrett, J et al., Analysis of the diverse antigenic landscape of the malaria protein RH5 identifies a potent vaccine-induced human public an
Starvation and infection: The role of sickness-associated anorexia in metabolic adaptation during acute infection
Dr. Barbara Kronsteiner-Dobramysl discusses a recent Metabolism article: ‘Starvation and infection: The role of sickness-associated anorexia in metabolic adaptation during acute infection’. This episode discusses the following article: Jindal, J, Hill, J, Harte, J, Dunachie, S, and Barbara Kronsteiner, B, Starvation and infection: The role of sickness-associated anorexia in metabolic adaptation du
Optimising CAR-T cell sensitivity by engineering matched extracellular sizes between CAR/antigen and CD2/CD58 adhesion complexes
Professor Omer Dusk discusses a bioRxiv pre-print: ‘Optimising CAR-T cell sensitivity by engineering matched extracellular sizes between CAR/antigen and CD2/CD58 adhesion complexes’. This episode discusses the following pre-print: 'Optimising CAR-T cell sensitivity by engineering matched extracellular sizes between CAR/antigen and CD2/CD58 adhesion complexes.' Burton J, Siller-Farfan JA, Andre V,
Apoptosis-mediated ADAM10 activation removes a mucin barrier promoting T cell efferocytosis
Professor Quentin Sattentau discusses research published in 'Nature Communications' on the role of enzyme ADAM10 in mediating clearance of apoptotic T cells by macrophages. This episode discusses Drexhage, LZ, Zhang, S, Dupont, M, et al. Apoptosis-mediated ADAM10 activation removes a mucin barrier promoting T cell efferocytosis. Nat Commun. 15(1), 541 (2024). http://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-446
Elevated genetic risk for multiple sclerosis emerged in steppe pastoralist populations
Professor Astrid Iversen discusses research published in Nature, using historic genome data to investigate the emergence of genetic risk for multiple sclerosis in Northern Europe. This episode discusses Barrie, W, Yang, Y, Irving-Pease, EK, et al. Elevated genetic risk for multiple sclerosis emerged in steppe pastoralist populations. Nature 625, 321–328 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-
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