For half a billion years, our immune system has been evolving to protect us from germs like viruses and bacteria.  It is a complex system that discriminates between our own cells, "self", and invaders, "non-self".  For hundreds of years, humans have deliberately manipulated immunity to prevent infections, such as through the use of vaccination.  The immune system can also attack cancer cells.  To do this we have to teach immune cells to see malignancy as non-self.  This is a challenge.  

Scientists in Birmingham have been part of this worldwide effort to exploit immunity against cancer.  We have taken many of our lessons from infectious disease and applied them against cancer.

My own small part in this story started with my being interested in infectious disease.  I have worked with a team that helped unravel immune responses against Epstein-Barr virus and extended this to a cancer vaccine strategy in development in the UK and in China.  I am particularly focussed on colorectal cancer and on aggressive kinds of skin cancer, Merkel cell cancer and melanoma.

I also experiment in drawing and painting.  Please do drop in on my on-line sketchbook http://kestrelart.wordpress.com/.  If you like any of my drawings or paintings, feel free to email me on greyheron2@gmail.com.  I am happy to give paintings away, especially if you have donated for cancer research.