Joanna Groom
@groomlab.bsky.social
Immunologist @WEHI_research. Passionate about inclusive conversations and diversity, both in and outside the Immune system. She/her
Thrilled to make the cover of @natimmunol.nature.com this month.
A version of this warhol-inspired image has been in my head almost since we first conceived this Tfh diversity project (many, many years ago) @wehi-research.bsky.social
A version of this warhol-inspired image has been in my head almost since we first conceived this Tfh diversity project (many, many years ago) @wehi-research.bsky.social
September 30, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Thrilled to make the cover of @natimmunol.nature.com this month.
A version of this warhol-inspired image has been in my head almost since we first conceived this Tfh diversity project (many, many years ago) @wehi-research.bsky.social
A version of this warhol-inspired image has been in my head almost since we first conceived this Tfh diversity project (many, many years ago) @wehi-research.bsky.social
This entire project is intertwined with the influence of cytokines to specify Tfh phenotype differentiation and to modify their function.
Ill be presenting this (and some unpublished work) at the @cytokinesociety.bsky.social meeting 2025 in Seattle in November.
Ill be presenting this (and some unpublished work) at the @cytokinesociety.bsky.social meeting 2025 in Seattle in November.
Home - Cytokines 2025: 13th Annual Meeting of the International Cytokine & Interferon Society
Register now Browse the preliminary program Meet the confirmed speakers Local Organizing Committee Carolyn Coyne, Ph.D., Duke University, Durham, USA The International Cytokine & Interferon Society would like to thank the following sponsors for their support of Cytokines 2025 Annual Meeting! Silver Sponsors Bronze Sponsor Exhibitors & Sponsors
seattle.cytokinesociety.org
September 12, 2025 at 2:20 AM
This entire project is intertwined with the influence of cytokines to specify Tfh phenotype differentiation and to modify their function.
Ill be presenting this (and some unpublished work) at the @cytokinesociety.bsky.social meeting 2025 in Seattle in November.
Ill be presenting this (and some unpublished work) at the @cytokinesociety.bsky.social meeting 2025 in Seattle in November.
Generating this Resource has initiated multiple new projects in the lab.
If you are interested in joining us, please reach out.
@wehi-research.bsky.social International PhD Scholarships are now open.
If you are interested in joining us, please reach out.
@wehi-research.bsky.social International PhD Scholarships are now open.
International PhD Scholar Initiative
Our International PhD Scholar Initiative enables outstanding international students to join WEHI's Medical Biology PhD Program.
www.wehi.edu.au
September 12, 2025 at 2:20 AM
Generating this Resource has initiated multiple new projects in the lab.
If you are interested in joining us, please reach out.
@wehi-research.bsky.social International PhD Scholarships are now open.
If you are interested in joining us, please reach out.
@wehi-research.bsky.social International PhD Scholarships are now open.
This was a massive collaborative effort based on our local ASI network including @kimljacobson.bsky.social @niclag.bsky.social @coopernatant.bsky.social @katherinekedz.bsky.social @jenjuno.viralvaxlab.com @cvandesandt.bsky.social @amania001.bsky.social (these are all i can find 🦋). Huge thanks 🙌
September 12, 2025 at 2:20 AM
This was a massive collaborative effort based on our local ASI network including @kimljacobson.bsky.social @niclag.bsky.social @coopernatant.bsky.social @katherinekedz.bsky.social @jenjuno.viralvaxlab.com @cvandesandt.bsky.social @amania001.bsky.social (these are all i can find 🦋). Huge thanks 🙌
Combined this Resource provides new ways to:
🌟Assess the impact of route, affinity, dose on Tfh function
🌟Investigate Tfh phenotype plasticity
🌟Direct B cell responses for vaccines against a diverse range of pathogens
🌟Unlock avenues to understand and treat antibody-mediated diseases
🌟Assess the impact of route, affinity, dose on Tfh function
🌟Investigate Tfh phenotype plasticity
🌟Direct B cell responses for vaccines against a diverse range of pathogens
🌟Unlock avenues to understand and treat antibody-mediated diseases
September 12, 2025 at 2:20 AM
Combined this Resource provides new ways to:
🌟Assess the impact of route, affinity, dose on Tfh function
🌟Investigate Tfh phenotype plasticity
🌟Direct B cell responses for vaccines against a diverse range of pathogens
🌟Unlock avenues to understand and treat antibody-mediated diseases
🌟Assess the impact of route, affinity, dose on Tfh function
🌟Investigate Tfh phenotype plasticity
🌟Direct B cell responses for vaccines against a diverse range of pathogens
🌟Unlock avenues to understand and treat antibody-mediated diseases
Further, we identified new cell surface markers to explore these phenotypes across lymphoid tissues and blood with @katherinekedz.bsky.social and with @jenjuno.viralvaxlab.com in an antigen-specific manner, using longitudinal infected or vaccine cohorts.
September 12, 2025 at 2:20 AM
Further, we identified new cell surface markers to explore these phenotypes across lymphoid tissues and blood with @katherinekedz.bsky.social and with @jenjuno.viralvaxlab.com in an antigen-specific manner, using longitudinal infected or vaccine cohorts.
Next, with Vanessa Bryant (no 🦋), we performed CITE-seq on human tonsil Tfh scRNAseq. This showed that our mouse signatures overlayed with distinct human Tfh clusters.
September 12, 2025 at 2:20 AM
Next, with Vanessa Bryant (no 🦋), we performed CITE-seq on human tonsil Tfh scRNAseq. This showed that our mouse signatures overlayed with distinct human Tfh clusters.
We found these cytokines act as levers of Tfh phenotypes, beyond Th1-Tfh bifurcation. Highlighting separate transcriptional modules to instruct Tfh cell identity and functional branching. The latter being instructed by cytokines and overlayed by lineage-defining factors to instruct B cell responses.
September 12, 2025 at 2:20 AM
We found these cytokines act as levers of Tfh phenotypes, beyond Th1-Tfh bifurcation. Highlighting separate transcriptional modules to instruct Tfh cell identity and functional branching. The latter being instructed by cytokines and overlayed by lineage-defining factors to instruct B cell responses.
We next established Tfh-pathogen specific signatures which indicated distinct transcriptional programs, functional potential and highlighted unique cytokine signaling profiles.
This suggested cytokine pathways are a stronger driver of specific heterogeneous Tfh cell phenotypes than pathogen class.
This suggested cytokine pathways are a stronger driver of specific heterogeneous Tfh cell phenotypes than pathogen class.
September 12, 2025 at 2:20 AM
We next established Tfh-pathogen specific signatures which indicated distinct transcriptional programs, functional potential and highlighted unique cytokine signaling profiles.
This suggested cytokine pathways are a stronger driver of specific heterogeneous Tfh cell phenotypes than pathogen class.
This suggested cytokine pathways are a stronger driver of specific heterogeneous Tfh cell phenotypes than pathogen class.
We then performed bulk RNAseq to profile IL21+, and IL21- Tfh cells, T follicular regulatory cells, and T effector cells from each infection.
This allowed us to establish a core Tfh signature that is conserved regardless of pathogen type.
This allowed us to establish a core Tfh signature that is conserved regardless of pathogen type.
September 12, 2025 at 2:20 AM
We then performed bulk RNAseq to profile IL21+, and IL21- Tfh cells, T follicular regulatory cells, and T effector cells from each infection.
This allowed us to establish a core Tfh signature that is conserved regardless of pathogen type.
This allowed us to establish a core Tfh signature that is conserved regardless of pathogen type.
First, we established that each infection established distinct Tfh populations and, with @kimljacobson.bsky.social, tailor distinct B cell responses.
September 12, 2025 at 2:20 AM
First, we established that each infection established distinct Tfh populations and, with @kimljacobson.bsky.social, tailor distinct B cell responses.
Here, we expand this to investigate how distinct programing is established during diverse challenges, comparing viral, helminth, and bacterial infections.
We hypothesized that pathogen-specific cues result in functionally distinct Tfh phenotypes with the capacity to tailor B cell responses.
We hypothesized that pathogen-specific cues result in functionally distinct Tfh phenotypes with the capacity to tailor B cell responses.
September 12, 2025 at 2:20 AM
Here, we expand this to investigate how distinct programing is established during diverse challenges, comparing viral, helminth, and bacterial infections.
We hypothesized that pathogen-specific cues result in functionally distinct Tfh phenotypes with the capacity to tailor B cell responses.
We hypothesized that pathogen-specific cues result in functionally distinct Tfh phenotypes with the capacity to tailor B cell responses.
Previously we established that context-dependent transcriptional programing exists for Tfh induced during viral infections @amania001.bsky.social
www.cell.com/cell-reports...
www.cell.com/cell-reports...
Context-Dependent Role for T-bet in T Follicular Helper Differentiation and Germinal Center Function following Viral Infection
Shiekh et al. show that, in influenza and LCMV infections, the role of the transcription
factor T-bet in TFH differentiation is contingent on environmental cues, IL-2 signaling,
and T cell competition...
www.cell.com
September 12, 2025 at 2:20 AM
Previously we established that context-dependent transcriptional programing exists for Tfh induced during viral infections @amania001.bsky.social
www.cell.com/cell-reports...
www.cell.com/cell-reports...
CD4+ T follicular helper (Tfh) cells display remarkable functional flexibility, directing B cell responses during vaccination and all pathogen classes and being implicated during inflammatory and antibody-mediated diseases.
Check out the Tfh “circle of influence” from @profshanecrotty.bsky.social
Check out the Tfh “circle of influence” from @profshanecrotty.bsky.social
September 12, 2025 at 2:20 AM
CD4+ T follicular helper (Tfh) cells display remarkable functional flexibility, directing B cell responses during vaccination and all pathogen classes and being implicated during inflammatory and antibody-mediated diseases.
Check out the Tfh “circle of influence” from @profshanecrotty.bsky.social
Check out the Tfh “circle of influence” from @profshanecrotty.bsky.social