Led by the University of Oxford, Cardiff University and Newcastle University, and backed by a £1.7 million investment from the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the launch of Lymph Node Research UK has established an interdisciplinary national network of 10 specialist lymph node research centres, with the number of planned partners growing. The network aims to position the UK as a global leader in human lymph node research.
In addition to the three lead sites, the other centres have been established at the University of Birmingham, University College London (UCL), University of Liverpool, University of Glasgow, St. George’s Vaccine Institute, and two at the University of Cambridge; the MRC Toxicology Unit and Cambridge Stem Cell Institute.
Lymph Node Research UK will contribute to multiple areas of world-leading research, including improving the efficiency and safety of vaccine development. Lymph nodes are small bean-shaped organs that act as hubs of the immune system, helping to defend the body against infections, cancer and autoimmune diseases. After vaccination or infection, they often swell as millions of immune cells gather and multiply within them to coordinate the body’s immune response. Understanding these processes could help researchers develop safer and more effective vaccines, as well as new treatments for infectious and inflammatory diseases.
Lymph node research can also facilitate a better understanding of autoimmune conditions, paving the way for new therapies for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, a currently incurable autoimmune disease affecting approximately 18 million worldwide.
Recent advances in ultrasound imaging and minimally invasive sampling techniques – such as fine needle aspiration - have made it possible to study human lymph nodes in unprecedented detail, creating new opportunities to understand how the immune system responds to infection, vaccination and disease.
Professor Katrina Pollock, Chief Investigator for Lymph Node Research UK at the Oxford Vaccine Group, University of Oxford said:
“This marks an exciting milestone for the rapidly growing field of human lymph node research and reflects years of previous development, now enabling us to harness the strength of collaboration between our partners.
By creating this network, we are building the foundations for new discoveries in immunology, vaccine development and disease prevention, whilst establishing UK infrastructure to lead globally-impactful lymph node research.”
Dr Lucy Jones, Clinical Senior Lecturer at Cardiff University School of Medicine said:
“This funding provides a unique opportunity to build a sustainable research network, strengthen collaborations with scientists across the UK, and establish a Welsh Lymph Node Research Hub at Cardiff University. Our goal is to accelerate discoveries in immunology that can benefit patients across a range of medical conditions, from infectious diseases, autoimmune disease and age-related immune decline.
A national network of expert lymph node research centres is expected to be transformative for British science in this growing field, helping to drive forward research through targeted training and strategic regional development. It will enable substantial benefits nationally and globally across discovery science in infection and immunity, drug and vaccine development, commercial partnerships, and related fields such as cancer research.”
Professor John Isaacs, Principal Investigator for Lymph Node Research UK at Newcastle University stated:
“A better understanding of the events taking place within human lymph nodes will help to develop better treatments for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Our own research is already sampling lymph nodes, for example in trials of AuToDeCRA*, the treatment we are developing to switch off rheumatoid arthritis.”
*AUtologous TOlerogenic DEndritic Cells for Rheumatoid Arthritis