How did growing up with two of Ireland’s most prominent scientific researchers as parents inspire you to study biochemistry and immunology at Trinity? E: Well, I certainly became interested in science from a young age, but in school I had just one goal in mind - to get the points to do veterinary medicine. I achieved this goal but knew almost immediately that I’d made a mistake - my love for animals didn’t translate into a passion for veterinary medicine. I stayed in the course just 6 weeks. Thankfully I was able to enter Science in Trinity. In third year, we had to decide our specialisation and it was a no brainer - I found immunology absolutely fascinating. How do you think the COVID-19 pandemic will develop over the coming months? K: It’s amazing that several effective COVID-19 vaccines became available so quickly and it reflects decades of basic research in immunology and vaccine development. The vaccines can prevent severe disease and deaths but are less effective at preventing infection and the mild to moderate disease caused by delta and other variants, which is one reason why we’re still seeing high case numbers in Ireland. Once most of the population is fully vaccinated and the high risk and older population receive booster doses, I anticipate that we will see a reduction in cases and hospitalizations, provided new variants don’t emerge. Overall, I’m optimistic that we’ll be close to normal next year. Can you tell us about the research you and your team are currently working on in TBSI? K: My research team in TBSI work on immune cells, called T cells, that play an important role in protective immunity to infection but, when uncontrolled, can cause autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS). Our research is informing the design of more effective vaccines and we’re currently applying it to COVID-19, working on an experimental vaccine that will induce immunological memory in the nasal tissue. Tell us about your vision for TBSI. K: In the last 10 years, TBSI researchers have published over 3,000 papers (cited 120,000 times, with 3.35% in the top 1% of most cited worldwide). Funding exciting new research projects and recruiting dynamic Principal Investigators will allow us to enhance our position as a location for fundamental and translation research which rivals leading biomedical research institutes internationally. What is the most discussed (or avoided) scientific topic at the dinner table? E: As a child, I certainly remember IL-1 (interleukin-1 beta) being discussed ALL the time! It’s funny because it’s not even something my parents work on all that much. It is, however, my favourite cytokine, primed from a young age. Evanna, tell us about your experience as a PhD student at Trinity under the supervision of Professor Luke O’Neill? E: Luke is an incredible scientist and mentor (and importantly a Beatles fan). He really kept me grounded and supported when things weren’t going to plan (which is a LOT during a PhD). He bolstered my passion for immunology and pushed me out of my comfort zone to achieve things I didn’t know I was capable of. We still keep in touch, and I look to him as a mentor. What are you currently researching at the Dana- Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI), Harvard Medical School? E: I still work on metabolism, now in the context of metabolic disease and obesity. Recently I’ve been exploring the role of brown fat in the regulation of inflammation and damage in a model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. I’m looking forward to starting my own lab here in DFCI at the Harvard Medical School next March. Another family member, Tim, studied engineering in Trinity and is now pursuing a career in architecture. Why do you think he gravitated towards engineering while growing up in a scientific household? K: Tim excelled at maths at school and that led him to engineering. After graduating with a first, he worked in structural engineering but became frustrated by the relative lack of input into design so decided to go back to study architecture. While they may not appear closely aligned, architecture and science have creativity in common.
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