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Other Oxford events

Viruses to vaccines

Please note this event takes place on the first floor and has no step-free access.
Past event - 2022
11 May Doors 7pm
Event 7.30pm to 9.30pm
St Aldates Tavern, 108 St Aldate's,
Oxford OX1 1BU
Sold Out!
There is no doubt that COVID-19 has left a mark on all of our lives, and tonight Betty will explore the effects of COVID-19 "beyond the lungs". Katie will then explain how our gut microbes - our "microbiome" - can affect the response of our immune systems to vaccines. Come and join us for a night of topical research into viruses and vaccines, plus some science-related entertainment.

COVID-19: looking beyond the lungs

Dr Betty Raman (British Heart Foundation CRE Intermediate Transition Clinical Research Fellow)
COVID-19 is a devastating pandemic which has seized the world, claiming the lives of thousands. Although primarily a respiratory infection, evidence suggests that COVID-19 may affect other organs such as the heart, liver, kidneys, and brain. To better understand the systemic effects of COVID-19, Betty is working with a team of expert scientists researching its effects on multiple organs using advanced MRI techniques. Betty also explores COVID's impact on the quality of life and mental health of affected individuals. This will reveal COVID's long-term impact and required medical surveillance.

Going with your gut: how can your gut microbiome affect your immune response to vaccines?

Professor Katie Ewer (Associate Professor and Senior Immunologist, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine)
Katie is a senior immunologist in Oxford's Ebola and malaria vaccine trials, and oversees the immunology on Phase I and II vaccine trials, both in the UK and in Africa.
She studies samples from clinical trial volunteers using various methods to determine the strength of their immune response to the trial vaccines, and to work out which features of the sample correspond to a stronger immune response. These findings can then be used to improve the vaccine development process, so that future vaccines offer greater protection against disease.
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