Gabriele Pollara
@gpollara.bsky.social
Infectious Diseases doctor (at UCLH) and academic (at UCL). Research focuses on immune responses to TB and leprosy, but I'm also involved in too many other projects I probably shouldn't be...
Pinned
Gabriele Pollara
@gpollara.bsky.social
· Nov 21
Altered IL-6 signalling and risk of tuberculosis: a multi-ancestry mendelian randomisation study
Our findings propose a causal relationship between reduced IL-6 signalling and lower
risk of tuberculosis, akin to the effect seen in other IL-6 mediated diseases. This
study suggests that IL-6 antago...
www.thelancet.com
🚨 Delighted to share our paper defining a new role for IL-6 in TB. 🚨
We used genetic variation to show *reduced* IL-6 signalling is causally associated with *lower* risk of TB.
Lead author @gushamilton.bsky.social
#TBSky #IDSky #ImmunoSky www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Thread 👇 (1/8)
We used genetic variation to show *reduced* IL-6 signalling is causally associated with *lower* risk of TB.
Lead author @gushamilton.bsky.social
#TBSky #IDSky #ImmunoSky www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Thread 👇 (1/8)
Kudos to the funding body that has asked me to review a grant with a deadline TWO MONTHS away, well after Christmas (school) holidays.
Thank you, and makes me far more likely to accept. 👏
#AcademicSky
Thank you, and makes me far more likely to accept. 👏
#AcademicSky
November 20, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Kudos to the funding body that has asked me to review a grant with a deadline TWO MONTHS away, well after Christmas (school) holidays.
Thank you, and makes me far more likely to accept. 👏
#AcademicSky
Thank you, and makes me far more likely to accept. 👏
#AcademicSky
Reposted by Gabriele Pollara
A new NEJM paper just dropped evaluating a quadrivalent modified mRNA (modRNA) influenza vaccine in a phase 3 trial. This is the largest test yet of whether the mRNA platform that transformed COVID-19 vaccination can improve our fight against flu.
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Efficacy, Immunogenicity, and Safety of Modified mRNA Influenza Vaccine | NEJM
Influenza remains a major health burden despite the use of licensed vaccines. Nucleoside-modified
messenger RNA (modRNA) influenza vaccines have shown promising immunogenicity against
influenza and...
www.nejm.org
November 20, 2025 at 12:26 PM
A new NEJM paper just dropped evaluating a quadrivalent modified mRNA (modRNA) influenza vaccine in a phase 3 trial. This is the largest test yet of whether the mRNA platform that transformed COVID-19 vaccination can improve our fight against flu.
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Gabriele Pollara
Happy to share our new AMR resource which has phenotypic AMR (usually MIC data) collected from publications and databases. This is paired with assemblies and annotations
We're excited for users who might train new models, find phenotype/genotype mismatches, or any other use
We're excited for users who might train new models, find phenotype/genotype mismatches, or any other use
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing health threat, making infections harder to treat and complicating routine medical care.
EMBL-EBI’s new AMR portal brings together laboratory resistance data and bacterial genomes in one open platform.
#WAAW2025 #ActOnAMR
www.ebi.ac.uk/about/news/t...
🧬💻
EMBL-EBI’s new AMR portal brings together laboratory resistance data and bacterial genomes in one open platform.
#WAAW2025 #ActOnAMR
www.ebi.ac.uk/about/news/t...
🧬💻
A new gateway to global antimicrobial resistance data
New online portal connects bacterial genomes with experimental resistance data to support antimicrobial resistance research.
www.ebi.ac.uk
November 19, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Happy to share our new AMR resource which has phenotypic AMR (usually MIC data) collected from publications and databases. This is paired with assemblies and annotations
We're excited for users who might train new models, find phenotype/genotype mismatches, or any other use
We're excited for users who might train new models, find phenotype/genotype mismatches, or any other use
Reposted by Gabriele Pollara
👇👇Last days to submit your abstract to be considered for a short talk! Deadline 24 November!https://www.keystonesymposia.org/conferences/conference-listing/meeting/travel/c42026
Tuberculosis: Understanding the Disease Across Scales | Keystone Symposia
Join us at the Keystone Symposia on Tuberculosis: Understanding the Disease Across Scales, March 2026, in Cape Town, with field leaders!
www.keystonesymposia.org
November 19, 2025 at 8:48 PM
👇👇Last days to submit your abstract to be considered for a short talk! Deadline 24 November!https://www.keystonesymposia.org/conferences/conference-listing/meeting/travel/c42026
November 20, 2025 at 12:34 AM
I love pistachio ice cream, so was drawn to this Perspective piece in @nejm.org
In fact, it's actually a very touching piece about medical & nursing staff connecting with patients' dying wishes.
Reminder that medicine is both a science and an art... 🙏
#MedSky
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
In fact, it's actually a very touching piece about medical & nursing staff connecting with patients' dying wishes.
Reminder that medicine is both a science and an art... 🙏
#MedSky
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Pistachio Ice Cream | NEJM
Sometimes, as patients near the end of life, eliciting and fulfilling a simple wish can lead to acceptance and a peaceful death — a lesson absorbed by a physician during a week of ice cream.
www.nejm.org
November 20, 2025 at 12:24 AM
I love pistachio ice cream, so was drawn to this Perspective piece in @nejm.org
In fact, it's actually a very touching piece about medical & nursing staff connecting with patients' dying wishes.
Reminder that medicine is both a science and an art... 🙏
#MedSky
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
In fact, it's actually a very touching piece about medical & nursing staff connecting with patients' dying wishes.
Reminder that medicine is both a science and an art... 🙏
#MedSky
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
A dream coming true: sharing my passion for parasites and CRISPR technology with students @uclmedsci.bsky.social ! Thank you @gpollara.bsky.social for inviting me (and for the shots!) and I want to thank the students for the curious, smart and engaging discussion!
November 19, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Post-TB lung disease - the impact of TB on patients does not end with the course of antibiotics, characterised by substantial long-term pulmonary impairment.
Proposed case definition to support assessments and interventions in research studies 👇
#TBSky #IDSky @thelancetinfdis.bsky.social
Proposed case definition to support assessments and interventions in research studies 👇
#TBSky #IDSky @thelancetinfdis.bsky.social
Post-tuberculosis lung disease: a case definition for use in research studies
Despite growing awareness of the substantial burden of long-term pulmonary impairment
among tuberculosis survivors, marked variability in how post-tuberculosis lung disease
is defined across research ...
www.thelancet.com
November 17, 2025 at 8:47 AM
Post-TB lung disease - the impact of TB on patients does not end with the course of antibiotics, characterised by substantial long-term pulmonary impairment.
Proposed case definition to support assessments and interventions in research studies 👇
#TBSky #IDSky @thelancetinfdis.bsky.social
Proposed case definition to support assessments and interventions in research studies 👇
#TBSky #IDSky @thelancetinfdis.bsky.social
A reasonable worked example how #AI can assist, not necessarily replace, human input in clinical service - pulling up and summarising events in a patient's journey is laborious and prone to error.
Focusing human input on determining relevance of these data seems better use of time
#IDSky
Focusing human input on determining relevance of these data seems better use of time
#IDSky
Using generative AI for healthcare-associated infection surveillance
Abstract. Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is becoming widespread in society but has had limited impact on medicine. GenAI can rapidly digest lar
academic.oup.com
November 17, 2025 at 8:25 AM
Still trying to get my head round what this model is predicting, as usually at least some clinical information is provided with microbiology samples.
#AI #IDSky #ClinMicro #UTISky #AMR @bsacandjac.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/jac/advance-...
#AI #IDSky #ClinMicro #UTISky #AMR @bsacandjac.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/jac/advance-...
Machine learning for personalized antimicrobial susceptibility breakpoints: (Adaptive clinical breakpoint interpretation)
AbstractObjectives. Infection diagnoses are critical to the personalized interpretation of EUCAST aminopenicillin breakpoints for Enterobacterales, but mic
academic.oup.com
November 17, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Still trying to get my head round what this model is predicting, as usually at least some clinical information is provided with microbiology samples.
#AI #IDSky #ClinMicro #UTISky #AMR @bsacandjac.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/jac/advance-...
#AI #IDSky #ClinMicro #UTISky #AMR @bsacandjac.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/jac/advance-...
Reposted by Gabriele Pollara
Very pleased to plug our latest preprint, lead author @microberamon.bsky.social - fantastic collaboration with labs of Dario Carugo (Oxford) and Martha Clokie (Leicester) https:// - and others #UTISKy #UTI #IDSky #MicroSky www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.12.688052v1 more below👇🧵
Effect of human urinary microenvironment and fluid flow on antibiotic and phage therapy efficacy against uropathogenic Escherichia coli
Urinary tract infections (UTI) remain a major global health burden, with high recurrence despite antibiotic treatment. The escalating prevalence of antimicrobial resistance further compromises therape...
www.biorxiv.org
November 13, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Very pleased to plug our latest preprint, lead author @microberamon.bsky.social - fantastic collaboration with labs of Dario Carugo (Oxford) and Martha Clokie (Leicester) https:// - and others #UTISKy #UTI #IDSky #MicroSky www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.12.688052v1 more below👇🧵
Reposted by Gabriele Pollara
Highly recommend signing up for the Advance-ID bacterial and fungal infections newsletter. Thorough review of literature over past 2 weeks including critical analysis of RCTs. #IDSky
www.advance-id.network
forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/respon...
www.advance-id.network
forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/respon...
Microsoft Forms
forms.cloud.microsoft
November 14, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Highly recommend signing up for the Advance-ID bacterial and fungal infections newsletter. Thorough review of literature over past 2 weeks including critical analysis of RCTs. #IDSky
www.advance-id.network
forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/respon...
www.advance-id.network
forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/respon...
Reposted by Gabriele Pollara
Coincidentally, this cool phage preprint carries on a theme that’s been stuck in my head this week about allowing pathogens to do interesting genetics for you in a way that clumsy humans might struggle to replicate by design
#MicroSky
cc @gpollara.bsky.social
#MicroSky
cc @gpollara.bsky.social
Surviving phage attack dynamically regulates bacterial immunity to defeat counterdefenses https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.13.688357v1
November 15, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Coincidentally, this cool phage preprint carries on a theme that’s been stuck in my head this week about allowing pathogens to do interesting genetics for you in a way that clumsy humans might struggle to replicate by design
#MicroSky
cc @gpollara.bsky.social
#MicroSky
cc @gpollara.bsky.social
Reposted by Gabriele Pollara
Penicillin allergy de-labelling needs to be a core part of healthcare workers’ roles for it to be prioritized:
doi.org/10.1093/jaca...
#JACAMRNews #IDSky
doi.org/10.1093/jaca...
#JACAMRNews #IDSky
doi.org
November 12, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Penicillin allergy de-labelling needs to be a core part of healthcare workers’ roles for it to be prioritized:
doi.org/10.1093/jaca...
#JACAMRNews #IDSky
doi.org/10.1093/jaca...
#JACAMRNews #IDSky
Reposted by Gabriele Pollara
Hot off the press at @thelancetinfdis.bsky.social: our paper diving into non-adherence in the BALANCE trial. We identify factors associated with protocol non-adherence, and evaluate the impact of potential bias on trial results.
authors.elsevier.com/a/1m5He5E-Uo...
@steventong.bsky.social #IDSky
authors.elsevier.com/a/1m5He5E-Uo...
@steventong.bsky.social #IDSky
authors.elsevier.com
November 12, 2025 at 12:55 AM
Hot off the press at @thelancetinfdis.bsky.social: our paper diving into non-adherence in the BALANCE trial. We identify factors associated with protocol non-adherence, and evaluate the impact of potential bias on trial results.
authors.elsevier.com/a/1m5He5E-Uo...
@steventong.bsky.social #IDSky
authors.elsevier.com/a/1m5He5E-Uo...
@steventong.bsky.social #IDSky
Reposted by Gabriele Pollara
Should I Worry About the Pasta? The ID Doctor as News Translator
(Hello #IDSky and #Medsky! Trying out some different venues for writing, so hoping you'll subscribe -- it's free!)
open.substack.com/pub/paulsaxm...
(Hello #IDSky and #Medsky! Trying out some different venues for writing, so hoping you'll subscribe -- it's free!)
open.substack.com/pub/paulsaxm...
Should I Worry About the Pasta? The ID Doctor as News Translator
What happens when we get texts about Trader Joe’s fettuccine — and what to do when infections make headlines.
open.substack.com
November 9, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Should I Worry About the Pasta? The ID Doctor as News Translator
(Hello #IDSky and #Medsky! Trying out some different venues for writing, so hoping you'll subscribe -- it's free!)
open.substack.com/pub/paulsaxm...
(Hello #IDSky and #Medsky! Trying out some different venues for writing, so hoping you'll subscribe -- it's free!)
open.substack.com/pub/paulsaxm...
If anyone knows London, this is a fascinating throught experiment of what would have been....
@jim.londoncentric.media
www.londoncentric.media/p/london-rin...
@jim.londoncentric.media
www.londoncentric.media/p/london-rin...
Would your home have been under a motorway?
"The most astonishing and destructive thing never to happen to London," says the man who has spent twenty years researching the first true map of the unbuilt Ringways.
www.londoncentric.media
November 9, 2025 at 8:35 AM
If anyone knows London, this is a fascinating throught experiment of what would have been....
@jim.londoncentric.media
www.londoncentric.media/p/london-rin...
@jim.londoncentric.media
www.londoncentric.media/p/london-rin...
Flu is coming soon. That epi curve looks a bit ominous. #IDSky
Good explainer article & public health message 👇
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Good explainer article & public health message 👇
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
November 9, 2025 at 7:51 AM
Flu is coming soon. That epi curve looks a bit ominous. #IDSky
Good explainer article & public health message 👇
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Good explainer article & public health message 👇
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Sign of (my advancing) age - i may have to start banning my students writing any text using "xxx Light" fonts! 👓🔍
November 7, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Sign of (my advancing) age - i may have to start banning my students writing any text using "xxx Light" fonts! 👓🔍
IL-23 is a highly targeted cytokine vs autoimmune disease.
But here with an oral agent!
@nejm.org #ImmunoSky #MedSky
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
But here with an oral agent!
@nejm.org #ImmunoSky #MedSky
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Oral Icotrokinra for Plaque Psoriasis in Adults and Adolescents | NEJM
Icotrokinra, a targeted oral peptide that selectively binds the interleukin-23 receptor, is under investigation for the treatment of plaque psoriasis. We conducted a phase 3, double-blind, randomiz...
www.nejm.org
November 5, 2025 at 11:21 PM
IL-23 is a highly targeted cytokine vs autoimmune disease.
But here with an oral agent!
@nejm.org #ImmunoSky #MedSky
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
But here with an oral agent!
@nejm.org #ImmunoSky #MedSky
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Gabriele Pollara
Community engagement in #Kilifi #Kenya to understand experiences & barriers to care for people living with #hepatitis #HBV in #Africa.
@lou-downs.bsky.social
@wellcometrust.bsky.social
@ndm.ox.ac.uk
@kemriwellcome.bsky.social
#MedSky #IDSky #stigma #NoHep 🧪
journals.plos.org/globalpublic...
@lou-downs.bsky.social
@wellcometrust.bsky.social
@ndm.ox.ac.uk
@kemriwellcome.bsky.social
#MedSky #IDSky #stigma #NoHep 🧪
journals.plos.org/globalpublic...
“It would be better for those of us who have the disease not to be ashamed”: Insights from people living with chronic hepatitis B virus infection and healthcare workers providing HBV care in Kilifi, K...
Chronic hepatitis B infection (CHB) causes over 1 million deaths annually, with a large burden of morbidity and mortality in the WHO-African Region (WHO-AFRO) where <5% of people are diagnosed and 0.2...
journals.plos.org
November 3, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Community engagement in #Kilifi #Kenya to understand experiences & barriers to care for people living with #hepatitis #HBV in #Africa.
@lou-downs.bsky.social
@wellcometrust.bsky.social
@ndm.ox.ac.uk
@kemriwellcome.bsky.social
#MedSky #IDSky #stigma #NoHep 🧪
journals.plos.org/globalpublic...
@lou-downs.bsky.social
@wellcometrust.bsky.social
@ndm.ox.ac.uk
@kemriwellcome.bsky.social
#MedSky #IDSky #stigma #NoHep 🧪
journals.plos.org/globalpublic...
Reposted by Gabriele Pollara
Fascinating as always @reisesousalab.bsky.social &co! 1 aminoacid makes the difference between a CLR that drives cross-presentation or immune activation!! Kudos to all authors of this cool paper! 👇👇👇
Delighted that this study is finally out @embojournal.org. A detailed analysis of how DNGR-1/CLEC9A signals to promote cross-presentation of dead cell-associated antigens yet does not activate dendritic cells.
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
DNGR-1 signalling limits dendritic cell activation for optimal antigen cross-presentation | The EMBO Journal
imageimageDNGR-1 (CLEC9A) is a C-type lectin receptor of type-1 conventional dendritic cells (cDC1s) with an important role in cross-presentation of dead cell antigens. This study explores how it equips cDC1s with the ability to cross-present such ...
www.embopress.org
November 3, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Fascinating as always @reisesousalab.bsky.social &co! 1 aminoacid makes the difference between a CLR that drives cross-presentation or immune activation!! Kudos to all authors of this cool paper! 👇👇👇
This is particularly annoying - if restaurant costs (including staff) need covering by an admin fee, then just add it to food / drink item costs and leave it at that.
@londoncentric.media @pollysmythe.bsky.social @jim.londoncentric.media
www.londoncentric.media/p/admin-char...
@londoncentric.media @pollysmythe.bsky.social @jim.londoncentric.media
www.londoncentric.media/p/admin-char...
Goodbye service charge, hello 'admin fee'
Plus: The difficulty of sourcing live snails for a London restaurant and a tribute to one of London's leading American candy shops.
www.londoncentric.media
November 2, 2025 at 8:47 AM
This is particularly annoying - if restaurant costs (including staff) need covering by an admin fee, then just add it to food / drink item costs and leave it at that.
@londoncentric.media @pollysmythe.bsky.social @jim.londoncentric.media
www.londoncentric.media/p/admin-char...
@londoncentric.media @pollysmythe.bsky.social @jim.londoncentric.media
www.londoncentric.media/p/admin-char...
Well, that was good fun. Real time, retro gaming competition vs rest of audience. Cheers @wifiwars.bsky.social ! 👏
November 1, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Well, that was good fun. Real time, retro gaming competition vs rest of audience. Cheers @wifiwars.bsky.social ! 👏
Reposted by Gabriele Pollara
Register Now! Targeting Tuberculosis: A Clinical Trials Update Webinar
📅December 4
💻 www.currytbcenter.ucsf.edu/trainings/ta...
Presenter:
C. Robert Horsburgh, Jr., MD
Professor, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Global Health & Medicine
Boston University School of Public Health
#TBSky #Tuberculosis
📅December 4
💻 www.currytbcenter.ucsf.edu/trainings/ta...
Presenter:
C. Robert Horsburgh, Jr., MD
Professor, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Global Health & Medicine
Boston University School of Public Health
#TBSky #Tuberculosis
Targeting Tuberculosis: A Clinical Trials Update | Curry International Tuberculosis Center
www.currytbcenter.ucsf.edu
October 29, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Register Now! Targeting Tuberculosis: A Clinical Trials Update Webinar
📅December 4
💻 www.currytbcenter.ucsf.edu/trainings/ta...
Presenter:
C. Robert Horsburgh, Jr., MD
Professor, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Global Health & Medicine
Boston University School of Public Health
#TBSky #Tuberculosis
📅December 4
💻 www.currytbcenter.ucsf.edu/trainings/ta...
Presenter:
C. Robert Horsburgh, Jr., MD
Professor, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Global Health & Medicine
Boston University School of Public Health
#TBSky #Tuberculosis