Alicia Galdon

I am a Postdoctoral Research Scientist in the Barnes Group, working as part of the GO-PRECIsE alliance to develop next-generation preventative cancer vaccines. 

My current role focuses on the LungVax clinical trial, evaluating the world's first experimental vaccine designed to prevent lung cancer by training the immune system to recognise and eliminate abnormal lung cells before they develop into tumours. I lead much of the trial's immunological analysis, performing a range of assays including ELISpot, intracellular cytokine staining (ICS), activation-induced marker (AIM) assays, and T-cell receptor sequencing (TCR-seq) to investigate vaccine-induced T-cell responses in participants. I also contribute to the coordination and delivery of the trial through a variety of administrative and organisational responsibilities.

Prior to this post, I worked within the Borrow Group in the CIO as part of the NIHR Blood and Transplant Research Unit (BTRU) in Precision Cellular Therapeutics, focussed on the development of a TCR-transduced T cell therapy for the treatment of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Specifically, my work aimed to identify peptide antigens selectively displayed on AML cells rather than healthy tissues, and screen these peptides to identify TCRs reactive against them. These TCRs have the potential to exert potent therapeutic effect without inducing graft-versus-host disease.