Skin Cancer and the Immune System

1. Skin Cancer and the Immune System My path to an exciting and rewarding Scientific Career Cancer Institute NSW Career Development Fellow Infectious Diseases and Immunology Dr Scott Byrne

2. What is an Immunologist? A scientist who studies how our immune system works • Our Immune System protects us from diseases • Viruses • common cold (rhinovirus) • The flu (Influenza) • Bacteria • Worms • Parasites • Malaria • Fungal Infections • Our Immune System also protects us from getting Cancer Immune Cells in our skin

3. Where is our Immune System? Everywhere! • Our Immune System is a collection of • Cells • Tissues • Molecules • Our immune system is found in almost every organ of our bodies Mast cell in the skin

4. Why become an Immunologist? Design better Vaccines! Cure Cancer! Cure Diseases! • Our Immune System can also cause some diseases • Autoimmune Diseases • Type 1, insulin dependent diabetes • Multiple Sclerosis • Rheumatoid Arthritis • Lupus • Immune-deficiency Diseases • “Boy-in-the-bubble” (no immune system at all!) • Organ Transplants www.dana.org

5. Some Famous Australian Immunologists Florey Burnet Nossal Doherty Warren Marshall Frazer Suzanne Cory

6. What do I Research & Why? Sunlight, Skin Cancer and the Immune System • 2 out of 3 Australians will get skin cancer at some stage in their lives • The ultraviolet (UV) part of Sunlight is the cause of skin cancer

9. Melanoma continues to rise!

10. Melanoma Testis Non-Hodgkin’s Hodgkin’s Melanoma Breast Thyroid Cervix

11. Melanoma Incidence, NSW 2000-2004 Source: NSW Cancer Council = average < average > average

12. Prostate Cancer Incidence, NSW 2000-2004 Source: NSW Cancer Council = average < average > average = average < average > average

13. How does Sunlight Cause Cancer? DNA damage AND Suppression of the Immune System We research the effect of UV on the cells of the immune system • B cells (responsible for producing antibodies) • Mast cells (responsible for allergies) What have we discovered? UV-B-Regs Mast cells activate UV-B-regs Mast cell surrounded by B cells

14. Why is my research important? A unique target for therapy • Knowing how UV suppresses our immune system will enable us to design ways to prevent it from happening • Good for preventing skin cancer • Or perhaps make it happen, which could help: • Make Organ Transplants more successful • Treat Autoimmune Diseases Enabling all of us to live healthy lives under the Australian Sun

15. How did I get here? My path, and some advice to our next generation of scientists Skin after UV

16. What path did I follow? • HSC – St Patrick’s College Strathfield - 1993 • 2 Unit Chemistry • 2 Unit Physics • 4 Unit Maths • 2 Unit Advanced English • 2 Unit Economics • 1 Unit Religious Studies (compulsory) • Bachelor of Science – The University of Sydney – 1994 • Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology

17. What path did I follow? • Bachelor of Medical Science – The University of Sydney • Physiology, Anatomy, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, • Immunology • Honours in Cell Pathology – 1997 • West Nile Virus research • PhD in Tumour Immunology The University of Sydney – 1998-2002 • Skin Cancer and the Immune System

18. What path did I follow? • Post doctoral studies in Sydney – 2002 • Discovered UV-B-Regs • Post doctoral studies in Houston, Texas. USA – 2004 • MD Anderson Cancer Center • Further postdoctoral studies back in Sydney – 2006 • Discovered mast cells activate UV-B-regs • Cancer Institute NSW Career Development fellow - 2008 • Senior Lecturer in Immunology – current • The University of Sydney

19. Why Choose to be a Scientist? Discover new things Help society Respect Exciting Travel Be independent Flexible

20. My advice Saying: “I don’t know” is not a crime… Not trying to find the answer is.

21. More Info and Fun things • Immune System Defender (online game): • http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/medicine/immunity/index.html • Cells Alive! • http://www.cellsalive.com/index.htm • My Laboratory’s Website: • http://web.me.com/scottbyrne/Byrne_Lab