Helper T-cell ageing (HELPAGE) - Research Towards Immunisations that Last

Summary

A major accomplishment of modern society is the extension of human life expectancy. However, this creates a new challenge for medical science, to facilitate healthy ageing. With age, the immune system does not respond as well to vaccination, our research aims to determine why this occurs, and if there is anything we’re able to do to improve vaccine responsiveness.  

Vaccination results in a coordinated effort of multiple type of white blood cells that act together to generate immunological memory, which provides protection against subsequent infection. Helper T cells are one of the key white blood cell types involved. They support the production of antibodies that can prevent an infection from spreading. The Linterman group is focused on understanding the roles that helper T cells play in the response to immunization and the molecular changes in these cells that result the age-dependent decline in vaccine responses.  

Participation: For this study we recruited 40 participants from the Cambridge BioResource. Visits took place at the Cambridge BioResource's clinical facility on the Cambridge Biomedical campus.

Organisation: This study is organised by Dr Michelle Linterman from the Babraham Institute, Cambridge