Professor Ann Ager

Professor of Cellular Immunity and Immunotherapy, Division of Infection and Immunity and Systems Immunity Research Institute

School of Medicine

I am a cellular immunologist with more than 30 years’ experience studying how T- cells move around the body to maintain healthy tissues and control diseases such as infections, cancer, and neurodegeneration.

T-cells continually survey the body by moving in and out of lymphoid organs where signs of disease or tissue damage are detected. Following activation, T-cells relocate via the bloodstream from lymphoid organs and home to the diseased organ where they can control the disease.

Our studies of T-cell trafficking have revealed novel approaches to boost immunity and protect our bodies against virus infections and cancers by increasing T-cell homing to diseased tissues.

As Chair Forum and a Trustee of the British Society for Immunology (BSI) and Council member of the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS), Ann is an advocate for Immunology to governments and other policymakers.

2021

Brown, L. V., Gaffney, E. A., Ager, A., Wagg, J. and Coles, M. C. 2021. Quantifying the limits of CAR T-cell delivery in mice and men. Journal of the Royal Society Interface 18(176), article number: 20201013. (10.1098/rsif.2020.1013)

2020

Hughes, E. et al. 2020. Primary breast tumours but not lung metastases induce protective anti-tumour immune responses after Treg-depletion. Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy 69, pp. 2063 - 2073. (10.1007/s00262-020-02603-x)
Demaria, M. C. et al. 2020. Tetraspanin CD53 promotes lymphocyte recirculation by stablising L-selectin surface expression. iScience 23(5), article number: 101104. (10.1016/j.isci.2020.101104)
Cerretelli, G., Ager, A., Arends, M. J. and Frayling, I. M. 2020. Molecular pathology of Lynch Syndrome. Journal of Pathology 250(5), pp. 518-531. (10.1002/path.5422)
Crowther, M. D. et al. 2020. Genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screening reveals ubiquitous T cell cancer targeting via the monomorphic MHC class I-related protein MR1. Nature Immunology 21, pp. 178 - 185. (10.1038/s41590-019-0578-8)

2019

Pfuderer, P. L. et al. 2019. High endothelial venules are associated with microsatellite instability, hereditary background and immune evasion in colorectal cancer. British Journal of Cancer 121, pp. 395-404. (10.1038/s41416-019-0514-6)
Watson, H. A. et al. 2019. L-selectin enhanced T cells improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. Frontiers in Immunology 10, article number: 1321. (10.3389/fimmu.2019.01321)
Mohammed, R. N. et al. 2019. ADAM17-dependent proteolysis of L-selectin promotes early clonal expansion of cytotoxic T cells. Scientific Reports 9, article number: 5487. (10.1038/s41598-019-41811-z)

2018

Seth, S., Ager, A., Arends, M. and Frayling, I. M. 2018. Lynch Syndrome - cancer pathways, heterogeneity and immune escape. Journal of Pathology 246(2), pp. 129-133. (10.1002/path.5139)
Jones, E., Gallimore, A. and Ager, A. 2018. Defining high endothelial venules and tertiary lymphoid structures in cancer. In: Tertiary Lymphoid Structures. Methods in Molecular Biology., Vol. 1845. Methods in Molecular Biology Humana Press, pp. 99-118., (10.1007/978-1-4939-8709-2_7)
Miles, J. J. et al. 2018. Peptide mimic for influenza vaccination using nonnatural combinatorial chemistry. Journal of Clinical Investigation 128(4), pp. 1569-1580. (10.1172/JCI91512)
Gaweł-Bęben, K., Ali, N., Ellis, V., Velasco, G., Poghosyan, Z., Ager, A. and Knauper, V. 2018. TMEFF2 shedding is regulated by oxidative stress and mediated by ADAMs and transmembrane serine proteases implicated in prostate cancer. Cell Biology International 42(3), pp. 273-280. (10.1002/cbin.10832)

2017

Caucheteux, S., Hu-Li, J., Mohammed, R., Ager, A. and Paul, W. 2017. Cytokine regulation of lung Th17 response to airway immunization using LPS adjuvant. Mucosal Immunology 10(2), pp. 361-372. (10.1038/mi.2016.54)
Ager, E. 2017. High endothelial venules and other blood vessels: critical regulators of lymphoid organ development and function. Frontiers in Immunology 8, article number: 45. (10.3389/fimmu.2017.00045)

2016

Watson, H. A. et al. 2016. Purity of transferred CD8+ T cells is crucial for safety and efficacy of combinatorial tumor immunotherapy in the absence of SHP-1. Immunology and Cell Biology 94(8) (10.1038/icb.2016.45)
Watson, H. A., Wehenkel, S., Matthews, J. and Ager, E. 2016. SHP-1: the next checkpoint target for cancer immunotherapy?. Biochemical Society Transactions 44(2), pp. 356-362. (10.1042/BST20150251)
Ager, E., Watson, H. A., Wehenkel, S. C. and Mohammed, R. N. 2016. Homing to solid cancers: a vascular checkpoint in adoptive cell therapy using CAR T-cells. Biochemical Society Transactions 44(2), pp. 377-385. (10.1042/BST20150254)
Mohammed, R. N., Watson, H. A., Vigar, M., Ohme, J., Thomson, A., Humphreys, I. R. and Ager, A. 2016. L-selectin is essential for delivery of activated CD8+ T cells to virus-infected organs for protective immunity. Cell Reports 14(4), pp. 760-771. (10.1016/j.celrep.2015.12.090)

2015

Ondondo, B. et al. 2015. A distinct chemokine axis does not account for enrichment of Foxp3+ CD4+T cells in carcinogen-induced fibrosarcomas. Immunology 145(1), pp. 94-104. (10.1111/imm.12430)
Ager, A. and May, M. J. 2015. Understanding high endothelial venules: lessons for cancer immunology. OncoImmunology 4(6), article number: e1008791. (10.1080/2162402X.2015.1008791)

2014

Ondondo, B. et al. 2014. Progression of carcinogen-induced fibrosarcomas is associated with the accumulation of naïve CD4+ T cellsviablood vessels and lymphatics. International Journal of Cancer 134(9), pp. 2156-2167. (10.1002/ijc.28556)

2012

Humphreys, I. R. et al. 2012. Avidity of influenza-specific memory CD8+T-cell populations decays over time compromising antiviral immunity. European Journal of Immunology 42(12), pp. 3235-3242. (10.1002/eji.201242575)
Hindley, J. P. et al. 2012. T-cell trafficking facilitated by high endothelial venules is required for tumor control after regulatory T cell depletion. Cancer Research 72(21), pp. 5473-5482. (10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-12-1912)
Ager, A. 2012. ADAMs and ectododomain proteolytic shedding in leucocyte migration: Focus on L-Selectin and ADAM17. Current Immunology Reviews 8(2), pp. 103-117. (10.2174/157339512800099657)

2009

Klinger, A., Gebert, A., Bieber, K., Kalies, K., Ager, A., Bell, E. B. and Westermann, J. 2009. Cyclical expression of L-selectin (CD62L) by recirculating T cells. International Immunology 21(4), pp. 443-455. (10.1093/intimm/dxp012)

2008

Anderson, B. E. et al. 2008. Effects of donor T-cell trafficking and priming site on graft-versus-host disease induction by naive and memory phenotype CD4 T cells. Blood 111(10), pp. 5242-5251. (10.1182/blood-2007-09-107953)
Sinclair, L. V. et al. 2008. Phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase and nutrient-sensing mTOR pathways control T lymphocyte trafficking. Nature Immunology 9(5), pp. 513-521. (10.1038/ni.1603)
Anderson, B. E. et al. 2008. Memory T Cells in GVHD and GVL. Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation 14(Supp.1), pp. 19-20. (10.1016/j.bbmt.2007.10.013)

2007

Ager, A., Galkina, E., Preece, G. and Lawrence, M. B. 2007. T lymphocyte rolling and recruitment into peripheral lymph nodes is regulated by a saturable density of L-selectin (CD62L). European Journal of Immunology 37(5), pp. 1243-1253. (10.1002/eji.200636481)

2004

Ivetic, A., Florey, O., Deka, J., Haskard, D. O., Ager, A. and Ridley, A. J. 2004. Mutagenesis of the ezrin-radixin-moesin binding domain of L-selectin tail affects shedding, microvillar positioning, and leukocyte tethering. Journal of Biological Chemistry 279(32), pp. 33263-33272. (10.1074/jbc.M312212200)

2003

Ager, A., Kioussis, D., Haskard, D. O. and Galkina, E. 2003. L-selectin shedding does not regulate constitutive T cell trafficking but controls the migration pathways of antigen-activated T lymphocytes. Journal of Experimental Medicine 198(9), pp. 1323-1335. (10.1084/jem.20030485)
Ager, A. 2003. Inflammation: border crossings. Nature 421(6924), pp. 703-705. (10.1038/421703a)

2002

Ivetic, A., Deka, J., Ridley, A. and Ager, A. 2002. The cytoplasmic tail of L-selectin interacts with members of the Ezrin-Radixin-Moesin (ERM) family of proteins: cell activation-dependent binding of Moesin but not Ezrin. The Journal of Biological Chemistry 277(3), pp. 2321-2329. (10.1074/jbc.M109460200)
Phillips, R. and Ager, A. 2002. Activation of pertussis toxin-sensitive CXCL12 (SDF-1) receptors mediates transendothelial migration of T lymphocytes across lymph node high endothelial cells. European Journal of Immunology 32(3), pp. 837-847. (10.1002/1521-4141(200203)32:3<837::AID-IMMU837>3.0.CO;2-Q)

2001

Ager, A., Faveeuw, C. and Preece, G. 2001. Transendothelial migration of lymphocytes across high endothelial venules into lymph nodes is affected by metalloproteinases. Blood 98(3), pp. 688-95. (10.1182/blood.V98.3.688)

2000

Faveeuw, C., Di Mauro, M. E., Price, A. A. and Ager, A. 2000. Roles of alpha4 integrins/VCAM-1 and LFA-1/ICAM-1 in the binding and transendothelial migration of T lymphocytes and T lymphoblasts across high endothelial venules. International Immunology 12(3), pp. 241-251. (10.1093/intimm/12.3.241)

1999

Derry, C. J., Faveeuw, C., Mordsley, K. R. and Ager, A. 1999. Novel chondroitin sulfate-modified ligands for L-selectin on lymph node high endothelial venules. European Journal of Immunology 29(2), pp. 419-430. (10.1002/(SICI)1521-4141(199902)29:02<419::AID-IMMU419>3.0.CO;2-A)
Borland, G., Murphy, G. and Ager, A. 1999. Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-3 inhibits shedding of L-selectin from leukocytes. Journal of Biological Chemistry 274(5), pp. 2810-2815. (10.1074/jbc.274.5.2810)

1997

del Pozo, M. A., Cabañas, C., Montoya, M. C., Ager, A., Sánchez-Mateos, P. and Sánchez-Madrid, F. 1997. ICAMs redistributed by chemokines to cellular uropods as a mechanism for recruitment of T lymphocytes. Journal of Cell Biology 137(2), pp. 493-508. (10.1083/jcb.137.2.493)
Derry, C. J., Mordsley, K. R., Preece, G. and Ager, A. 1997. Purification of L-selectin ligands synthesised by rat peripheral lymph nodes and cultured high endothelial cells [Abstract]. Biochemical Society Transactions 25(2), article number: 260S.
Allport, J. R., Ding, H. T., Ager, A., Steeber, D. A., Tedder, T. F. and Luscinskas, F. W. 1997. L-selectin shedding does not regulate human neutrophil attachment, rolling, or transmigration across human vascular endothelium in vitro. Journal of Immunology 158(9), pp. 4365-4372.
Middelhoven, P. J., Ager, A., Roos, D. and Verhoeven, A. J. 1997. Involvement of a metalloprotease in the shedding of human neutrophil FcγRIIIB. FEBS Letters 414(1), pp. 14-18. (10.1016/S0014-5793(97)00959-9)
Price, A. A., Cumberbatch, M., Kimber, I. and Ager, A. 1997. α6 integrins are required for Langerhans cell migration from the epidermis. Journal of Experimental Medicine 186(10), pp. 1725-1735. (10.1084/jem.186.10.1725)
Faveeuw, C., Di Mauro, M. and Ager, A. 1997. Adhesion molecules used by T lymphoblasts to interact with cultured high endothelial cells [Abstract]. Biochemical Society Transactions 25(2), article number: 261S.

1996

Preece, G., Murphy, G. and Ager, A. 1996. Metalloproteinase-mediated regulation of L-selectin levels on leucocytes. Journal of Biological Chemistry 271(20), pp. 11634-11640. (10.1074/jbc.271.20.11634)
Middelhoven, H., Ager, A., Roos, D. and Verhoeven, A. J. 1996. Possible role of metalloprotease in the shedding of neutrophil Fc gamma RIIIb [Abstract]. Journal of Leukocyte Biology Supp S, pp. 174.
Middelhoven, P. J., Ager, A., Roos, D. and Verhoeven, A. J. 1996. Possible role of a metalloprotease in the shedding of neutrophil Fc gamma IIIb [Abstract]. Journal of Leukocyte Biology Supp S, pp. 169.
Ager, A. and Preece, G. 1996. The regulation of lymphocyte migration across high endothelial venules [Abstract]. Immunology 89(Supp1), pp. ST77.
Allport, J. R., Ding, H., Ager, A. and Luscinskas, F. W. 1996. Inhibition of L-selectin shedding does not affect human neutrophil attachment, rolling or transendothelial migration. Molecular Biology of the Cell 7, pp. 3502.
ParraRuiz, S. and Ager, A. 1996. Regulation of of integrins on rat lymphocytes [Abstract]. Immunology 89(Supp1), pp. 59., article number: T202.

1995

Bell, E. B., Sparshott, S. M. and Ager, A. 1995. Migration pathways of CD4 T cell subsets in vivo: the CD45RC- subset enters the thymus via α4 integrin-VCAM-1 interaction. International Immunology 7(11), pp. 1861-1871. (10.1093/intimm/7.11.1861)
Price, A. A., Kimber, I. and Ager, A. 1995. The expression of VLA-4 and VLA-6 by langerhans cells - their potential role in regulating langerhans cell-migration[Abstract]. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 105(6), pp. 858-869., article number: 64. (10.1111/1523-1747.ep12326705)

1994

Ager, A., Preece, G. and Wood, A. C. 1994. Down-regulation of lymphocyte L-selectin on binding to high endothelium - a prerequisite for transmigration [Abstract]. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry 56(S18A), pp. 331.
Ager, A. 1994. Lymphocyte recirculation and homing: roles of adhesion molecules and chemoattractants. Trends in Cell Biology 4(9), pp. 326-332. (10.1016/0962-8924(94)90234-8)

1993

Ager, A. 1993. Lymphocyte-vascular endothelial cell interactions in the immune response. Clinical and experimental immunology 93(Supp 1), pp. 5-6. (10.1111/j.1365-2249.1993.tb06213.x)
May, M. J., Entwistle, G., Humphries, M. J. and Ager, A. 1993. VCAM-1 is a CS1 peptide-inhibitable adhesion molecule expressed by lymph node high endothelium. Journal of Cell Science (JCS) 106(1), pp. 109-119.
Ensari, A., Ager, A., Marsh, M. N., Morgan, S. and Moriarty, K. J. 1993. Time-course of adhesion molecule expression in rectal mucosa of gluten-sensitive subjects after gluten challenge. Clinical and experimental immunology 92(2), pp. 303-307. (10.1111/j.1365-2249.1993.tb03396.x)
Hourihan, H., Allen, T. D. and Ager, A. 1993. Lymphocyte migration across high endothelium is associated with increases in alpha 4 beta 1 integrin (VLA-4) affinity. Journal of Cell Science (JCS) 104(4), pp. 1049-9.
Edwards, B. D., Slevin, M. A., Dickson, A. J., Ager, A. and Ballardie, W. 1993. Calphostin C inhibits endothelial cell proliferation and selectively modulates cell-surface marker expression [Abstract]. Biochemical Society Transactions 21(4), pp. 422S. (10.1042/bst021422s)
Edwards, B. D., Slevin, M. A., Dickson, A. J., Ager, A. and Ballardie, F. W. 1993. Antiproliferative actions of cyclosporin A on endothelial cells are not exerted through protein kinase C (PkC) [Abstract]. Biochemical Society Transactions 21(4), pp. 423S. (10.1042/bst021423s)
Bird, I. N., Spragg, J. H., Ager, A. and Matthews, N. 1993. Studies of lymphocyte transendothelial migration: analysis of migrated cell phenotypes with regard to CD31 (PECAM-1), CD45RA and CD45RO. Immunology 80(4), pp. 553-560.

1992

May, M. J. and Ager, A. 1992. ICAM-1-independent lymphocyte transmigration across high endothelium: differential up-regulation by interferon γ, tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin 1β. European Journal of Immunology 22(1), pp. 219-226. (10.1002/eji.1830220132)
Ensari, A., Marsh, M. N., Ager, A., Morgan, S. and Moriarty, K. J. 1992. Expression of adhesion molecules in glutenchallenged, coeliac disease (CD) rectal mucosa. Gut 33(Supp 2), pp. S67.
Bradley, J. A. et al. 1992. Allograft rejection in Cd4+ T cell-reconstituted athymic nude rats-the nonessential role of host-derived Cd8+ cells1. Transplantation 53(2), pp. 477-482.
Szekanecz, Z., Humphries, M. J. and Ager, A. 1992. Lymphocyte adhesion to high endothelium is mediated by two beta 1 integrin receptors for fibronectin, alpha 4 beta 1 and alpha 5 beta 1. Journal of Cell Science (JCS) 101(4), pp. 885-894.

1991

Ager, A. and Humphries, M. J. 1991. Integrin alpha 4 beta 1: its structure, ligand-binding specificity and role in lymphocyte-endothelial cell interactions. Chemical Immunology 50, pp. 55-74.
Vaage, J. T., Dissen, E., Ager, A., Fossum, S. and Rolstad, B. 1991. Allospecific recognition of hemic cells in vitro by natural killer cells from athymic rats: evidence that allodeterminants coded for by single major histocompatibility complex haplotypes are recognized. European Journal of Immunology 21(9), pp. 2167-2175. (10.1002/eji.1830210927)

1990

Vaage, J. T., Dissen, E., Ager, A., Roberts, I., Fossum, S. and Rolstad, B. 1990. T cell receptor-bearing cells among rat intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes are mainly α/β+ and are thymus dependent. European Journal of Immunology 20(5), pp. 1193-1196. (10.1002/eji.1830200538)
Ager, A. and Humphries, M. J. 1990. Use of synthetic peptides to probe lymphocyte – high endothelial cell interactions. Lymphocytes recognize a ligand on the endothelial surface which contains the CS1 adhesion motif. International Immunology 2(10), pp. 921-928. (10.1093/intimm/2.10.921)

1988

Ager, A., Fajumi, J., Sparshott, S. M., Ford, W. L. and Butcher, G. W. 1988. Major histocompatibility complex control of nk-related allogeneic lymphocyte cytotoxicity in rats the contributions of strong and medial transplantation antigens. Transplantation 46(5), pp. 762-767.
Ager, A. and Mistry, S. 1988. Interaction between lymphocytes and cultured high endothelial cells: an in vitro model of lymphocyte migration across high endothelial venule endothelium. European Journal of Immunology 18(8), pp. 1265-1274. (10.1002/eji.1830180818)
Ager, A. and Mistry, S. 1988. The expression of lymphocyte adhesion molecules on cultured high endothelial cells. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology 237, pp. 471-476.

1987

Ager, A. 1987. Isolation and culture of high endothelial cells from rat lymph nodes. Journal of Cell Science (JCS) 87(1), pp. 133-144.
Kumar, S., West, D. C. and Ager, A. 1987. Heterogeneity in endothelial cells from large vessels and microvessels. Differentiation 36(1), pp. 57-70. (10.1111/j.1432-0436.1987.tb00181.x)
Fossum, S., Ager, A. and Rolstad, B. 1987. Specific inhibition of natural killer (NK) activity against different alloantigens. Immunogenetics 26(6), pp. 329-338. (10.1007/BF00343700)

1985

Felce, D. J., Dekock, U., Thomas, M., Repp, A., Ager, A. and Blunden, R. 1985. Staff-client ratios and their effects on staff interactions and client behaviors [Abstract]. Bulletin of the British Psychological Society 38, pp. A61.

1984

Ager, A., Wenham, D. J. and Gordon, J. L. 1984. Stimulation of endothelial cells by protease activity in commercial preparations of xanthine oxidase. Thrombosis Research 35(1), pp. 43-52. (10.1016/0049-3848(84)90311-6)
Ager, A. and Gordon, J. L. 1984. Cellular effects of proteinase activity in commercial xanthine oxidase [Letter]. Biochemical Journal 222(3), pp. 839.
LeRoy, E. C., Ager, A. and Gordon, J. L. 1984. Effects of neutrophil elastase and other proteases on porcine aortic endothelial prostaglandin I2 production, adenine nucleotide release, and responses to vasoactive agents. The Journal of Clinical Investigation 74(3), pp. 1003-1010. (10.1172/JCI111467)
Ager, A. and Gordon, J. L. 1984. Differential effects of hydrogen peroxide on indices of endothelial cell function. Journal of Experimental Medicine 159(2), pp. 592-603. (10.1084/jem.159.2.592)

1983

Ager, A. and Martin, W. 1983. Loss of receptor-mediated 86Rb efflux from pig aortic endothelial cells in culture. British Journal of Pharmacology 80(1), pp. 5-6. (10.1111/j.1476-5381.1983.tb11040.x)
Chesterman, C. N., Ager, A. and Gordon, J. L. 1983. Regulation of prostaglandin production and ectoenzyme activities in cultured aortic endothelial cells. Journal of Cellular Physiology 116(1), pp. 45-50. (10.1002/jcp.1041160108)

1982

Ager, A., Gordon, J. L., Moncada, S., Pearson, J. D., Salmon, J. A. and Trevethick, M. A. 1982. Effects of isolation and culture on prostaglandin synthesis by porcine aortic endothelial and smooth muscle cells. Journal of Cellular Physiology 110(1), pp. 9-16. (10.1002/jcp.1041100103)
Ager, A. 1982. Effects of xanthine: xanthine oxidase on membrane function: an in vitro model of endothelial damage. Agents and Actions Supplements 11, pp. 73-81.

1981

Ager, A. and Gordon, J. L. 1981. Influence of human β-thromboglobulin on prostaglandin production by pig aortic endothelial cells in culture. Thrombosis Research 24(1-2), pp. 95-103. (10.1016/0049-3848(81)90035-9)

1980

Ager, A. and Gordon, J. L. 1980. Effects of vasoactive and inflammatory agents on cyclic AMP levels in W 138 fibroblasts, endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells in culture. Agents and Actions 10(6), pp. 569-572.

1979

Pearson, J. D., Ager, A., Trevethick, M. A. and Gordon, J. L. 1979. Prostaglandin production by cultured vascular cells. Agents and Actions Supplements 4, pp. 120-126.
Ager, A., Pearson, J. D. and Gordon, J. L. 1979. Radioimmunoassay of 6-oxoprostaglandin F1α and prostaglandin E2 produced by pig aortic endothelium in culture [Abstract]. Biochemical Society Transactions 7(5), pp. 1065-1066. (10.1042/bst0071065)

T-cell homing in health and disease

A major focus is the regulation of the homing receptor, L-selectin/CD62L, on T-cells and its impact on T-cell homing via specialized high endothelial venule (HEV) blood vessels.

Unique reagents, experimental animal models and cell-based assays have been developed in the Ager lab and shown that the role of L-selectin on disease-infiltrating T-cells has been overlooked because of its’ instability in the T-cell membrane due to proteolytic ectodomain shedding by ADAM17 metalloproteinase.

Our work has revealed that L-selectin is essential to deliver killer T- cells to influenza-infected lungs for protective immunity http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-35373730 . Moreover, our studies have revealed new roles for L-selectin in T-cell immunity to cancers which are not related to T-cell homing.

Major goals for the future are to identify the mechanisms underlying L-selectin dependent anti-viral and anti-tumour immunity and whether this is dependent on HEV neogenesis in the diseased organ.

New research aims to determine if T-cell homing contributes to neurodegeneration such as in Alzheimer’s disease

Current Projects

The regulation of protective immunity to influenza viruses by L-selectin
The translational potential of arming CAR T-cells with L-selectin for treating cancer patients
The role of T-cells in blood-brain barrier breakdown in dementia

Current Grant Funding:

1. Wellcome Trust ISSF Translational Kickstart Award "Translating L-selectin enhancement to clinically relevant T-cell based cancer immunotherapies" Lead PI (Mar 2021-Jun 2022) £49,950

2. BBSRC Project Grant "The Regulation of Protective Immunity to Viruses by L-selectin" Lead PI (Jan 2019-Dec 2022). Co-PI, Dr Vera Knäuper, £686,195

3. CR-UK Project Grant "Unravelling the relationship between T cell trafficking and cancer immunotherapy" Lead PI (Nov 2017-Dec 2021) £289,000.

4. Sir Geraint Evans Cardiovascular Research Fund Project Grant “Dissecting interactions between peripheral immune cells and the blood-brain barrier in dementia Lead PI (Nov 2019-Mar 2021). Co-PI. Professor Anne Ridley, £49,544

5. BBSRC CASE PhD studentship with GlaxoSmithKline "Dissecting the relationship between phosphinositide3-kinase δ activity and L-selectin expression by leucocytes" Lead PI (Oct 2018-Sept 2022). Co-PI, Dr Augustin Amour.

6. UK Dementia Research Institute PhD studentship "Mapping the role of EphA1 risk variants in Alzheimer’s disease" Lead PI (Oct 2018-Mar 2022).

7. Tuberous Sclerosis Society PhD studentship "Targeting the Ref1/STAT3 axis to treat Tuberous Sclerosis" Co- I (Oct 2018-Sept 2022). Lead PI: Professor Andy Tee

External Collaborations

Professor Erwei Song, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China

Dr Meng Huee Lee, Xian Jiaotong Liverpool University, Suzhou, China

Professor Joseph Skitzki, Rosewell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, USA

Professor Stephen Turner, Biomedical Discovery Institute, Monash University, Australia

Professor Sharon Evans, Rosewell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, USA

Professor Anne Ridley, University of Bristol

Dr Michael May, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA

External lectures:

Ager, A. (2020, October 29). Lymphocyte homing: getting lymphocytes to the right place at the right time. In The Biomedical & Life Sciences Collection, Henry Stewart Talks. https://hstalks.com/bs/4445/.

Taught courses:

Deliver Student Selected Component (SSC) in Interactive Immunology to 2nd and 3rd year medical students (lead laboratory sessions, review student presentation, deliver lectures).
Deliver 3rd year BSc and Medical Intercalated Degree students in Pharmacology and Pathology (supervised 7 students' laboratory projects; best project by Louise Rogers, 2017. Danial Saree, 2019)
Deliver taught Masters in Research (supervised 6 students and recruited one, Andrew Newman to study for a PhD under my supervision)
Develop teaching skills of my PhD students and PDRAs by supporting their supervision of final year B.Sc. project students in a co-supervisory role.

Examining experience:

External examiner for Manchester University's Master degrees in Immunology and Immunogenetics, (15-20 students p.a.) and Immunology by distance learning (5-10 students p.a.) 2012-2016
External examiner of PhD theses for the Universities of Birmingham, Bristol, Dundee, Glasgow, Imperial College London, KCL, Oxford, Sheffield, Toronto and Australian National University

Career Summary

I gained a PhD from Cambridge University studying inflammatory responses in vascular endothelial cells and trained in microvascular endothelial cell biology with Professor Judah Folkman at Harvard Medical School during my post-doctoral studies. In 1983 I moved to the Department of Immunology, University of Manchester as a postdoctoral fellow working with Professor Bill Ford and started what has become my life-long interests in specialised high endothelial venule (HEV) blood vessels and T-cell homing in health and disease. I gained an MRC Senior Fellowship in Manchester before moving to a Principal Investigator position at the MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London in 1992 where I began working on L-selectin/CD62L. In 2007 I moved to the Division of Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University as a Reader and was awarded a personal chair in 2018. Since moving to Cardiff, my research has focussed on T-cell trafficking in diseases such as virus infection, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Current appointment:

2018 - Professor of Cellular Immunity and Immunotherapy, Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University

Honours and awards

1979 - 1980 BHF Travelling Fellow, Childrens' Hosptial, Harvard Medical School, USA

2015-2018 President, UK Cell Adhesion Society (elected)

2019- 2022 British Society for Immunology, Chair of Forum (elected)

2019- 2022 British Society for Immunology, Member of Board of Trustees (elected)

2019- 2022 National Cancer Research Institute-British Society of Immunology Strategic Alliance, Deputy Chair

Professional memberships

Member of the British Society for Immunology

Founding member of the UK Cell Adhesion Society

Member of Cardiff Institute for Tissue Engineering and Repair (CITER)

Academic positions

B2007- 2018 Reader, Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University

1992 - 2007 Senior Scientist, Division of Cellular Immunology, MRC National Institute for Medical Research,

1987 - 1992 MRC Senior Fellow, Immunology Department, University of Manchester

1983 - 1987 MRC Postdoctoral Fellow, Immunology Department, University of Manchester

1980 - 1983 BBSRC Post-doctoral Fellow, Department of Cell Biology, The Babraham Institute

T lymphocyte homing in health and disease
Lymphocyte-blood vessel interactions in lymphoid organs and inflamed tissues
The role of blood brain barrier in neurodegeneration
Therapeutic manipulation of T lymphocyte homing to boost immunity to viruses and cancer

Contact Details

AgerA@cardiff.ac.uk
+44 29206 88872
Henry Wellcome Building for Biomedical Research, Room 3F08, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XN

New links between late-onset Alzheimer's disease and the immune system