IIT External Seminar | Dr David Bending

Our next IIT externmal seminar will take place on Thursday 19 October. Dr David Bending from Birmingham University will be speaking on 'Co-receptor regulation of CD4+ T-cell activation'

About the Speaker

Dr David Bending is a T cell immunologist specialising in the regulation of T cell responses and T cell receptor (TCR) signalling. In 2018, he formed his own research group at the University of Birmingham, UK. His lab is supported by  an MRC Career Development award and a 2022 Lister Institute Fellowship prize. Their research focuses on how TCR signalling strength and dynamics regulate T cell function. The lab has keen interests in understanding how co-receptor signals control T cell activation and how phenotypic changes in T cells may be used to understand responses to immunotherapies. A recent major finding is the discovery that the PD-1 pathway is a major player in recalibrating the activation thresholds of CD4+ T cells. Furthermore, blockade of the PD-1 pathway leads to a specific T cell signature of strong TCR signalling, which correlates with survival in melanoma patients on anti-PD-1 immunotherapy.

12pm - Seminar (Pears Building and online via Teams - please contact Hanh Gurr: h.gurr@ucl.ac.uk)

1pm - Lunch with trainees

5pm - Drinks reception 

• Please contact host Prof. Lucy Walker (lucy.walker@ucl.ac.uk) and Hanh Gurr (h.gurr@ucl.ac.uk) to organise one-to-one meetings with Dr. Bending between 2pm and 5pm.
• Please can all trainees who wish to attend the lunch email Hanh Gurr (h.gurr@ucl.ac.uk), including any dietary requirements, by 5pm Wednesday the 18th of October.