15-16 June 2023 at the Peter Doherty Institute
About the workshop
The Wild Immunology group at the Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania is attempting to develop an oral bait vaccine to protect Tasmanian devils from the devil facial tumour disease (DFTD). Due to limited number of immunologists in Tasmania, the Menzies team is coming to Melbourne to engage with the rich immunology community in mainland Australia. Professor Katherine Kedzierska and Dr Louise Rowntree are helping us organise workshop at the Peter Doherty Institute (PDI) in Melbourne, Victoria on 15 June 2023.
Dr Andrew Flies will provide an overview of the two types of devil facial tumours (DFT1, DFT2), our current vaccine strategy, and constraints on the project at the PDI Department of Microbiology & Immunology seminar on 15 June. After the seminar there will be an afternoon tea, followed by two talks to prep workshop participants for breakout sessions to “Build a better DFT1/2 vaccine”. We hope to carry on discussions at Naughtons Hotel after the workshop. Members of the Wild Immunology group will be in Melbourne before and after the workshop, so we hope to setup other meetings with people interested in helping the Tasmanian devil. Contact andy.flies@utas.edu.au to register for the workshop or setup a meeting with one of our team members.
| Thursday, 15 June 2023 | |
| 0900 – 1200 | Wild immunology group arrives from Tasmania. Please arrange meetings if interested. |
| 1200 – 1300 | PDI Department of Microbiology & Immunology seminar Andrew Flies – Menzies Institute for Medical Research, UTAS Developing a vaccine system for the Tasmanian devil facial tumour disease Room: PDI Auditorium; G004 |
| 1300 – 1345 | Discussion and afternoon tea Room: PDI Auditorium; G004 |
| 1400 – 1415 | Dr Ruth Pye – Menzies Institute for Medical Research, UTAS Previous DFT1 vaccine trials Room: Seminar Room GM002 |
| 1415 – 1430 | Dr Chrissie Ong – Menzies Institute for Medical Research, UTAS Analysing anti-DFT1 immunity |
| 1430 – 1515 | Breakout groups: Build a better DFT1/2 vaccine Platform, antigens, delivery, immune correlates of protection |
| 1530 – 1600 | Groups present their new and improved vaccine |
| 1600 – 1645 | Synthesis, strategy, and funding |
| 1700 – ? | Continue discussion at Naughtons Hotel (https://naughtonshotel.com.au/) 43 Royal Parade, Parkville. Free nibbles provided by Menzies Institute |
| Friday, 16 June 2023 | |
| 900 – 1030 | Individual meetings to continue conversations from workshop or pub |
| 1030 – 1100 | Morning tea provided by Menzies Institute for Medical Research Room: GM002 |
| 1100 – 1200 | Vaccine design group discussions and funding plans. Room: GM002 |