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Omer Dushek

@tcell.bsky.social

2.3K followers 400 following 47 posts

Professor of Molecular Immunology at the University of Oxford. Experiments & Math(s) to understand and exploit T cells. Founder & Director of MatchBio Ltd

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Omer Dushek @tcell.bsky.social · Jan 8

Our new work on optimising CAR-T cell sensitivity is now on bioRxiv!

Optimising CAR-T cell sensitivity by engineering matched extracellular sizes between CAR/antigen and CD2/CD58 adhesion complexes

biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...

Reposted by Omer Dushek

Matthew Freeman @mjafreeman.bsky.social · 16d

I was Chair of @biologists.bsky.social when we started this initiative, the brainwave of the @stevenkelly.bsky.social

It was an imaginative idea and I am thrilled to see this landmark

Remember: @biologists.bsky.social are the goodies in scientific publishing!

The Company of Biologists @biologists.bsky.social · 20d

In our Forest of Biologists we fund the restoration and preservation of ancient woodland and dedicate these trees to our peer reviewers.

There are now over 10,000 trees for peer reviews!

Thank you to all our peer reviewers. Find out more:
forest.biologists.com

#PRW2025 @peerreviewweek.bsky.social

Lots of illustrated trees. A sample image taken from the Forest of Biologists website.

Reposted by Omer Dushek

Jun Allard @allardlab.bsky.social · Sep 8

We can make the flexibility of a model match the hypothesis being tested -- more flexibility is not always better, if it prohibits rejection of the hypothesis. Here is one simple case involving T cells where it made a difference!

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Omer Dushek @tcell.bsky.social · Aug 4

If you're a postdoc interested in starting your own group, please consider the Dunn School at Oxford, UK.

It's a fantastic department and university for molecular immunology and all aspects of immune research!

The Dunn School, Oxford @dunnschool.bsky.social · Jul 30

📣 Applications now open 📣

We are seeking outstanding ECRs looking for a stimulating and supportive environment in which to establish their research group as externally-funded fellows, in any area or cell or molecular biology underlying disease!

Please share!

www.path.ox.ac.uk/work-with-us...

Reposted by Omer Dushek

Immunotherapy Advances @imtadvances.bsky.social · Jul 17

Temporal control of cytokine production is lost in 2nd-gen CAR-T cells, says Patel et al. This could be key to understanding their efficacy and toxicity in cancer immunotherapy. 🧬

🔗 https://bit.ly/4lOLicw
##CancerImmunotherapy

Omer Dushek @tcell.bsky.social · May 31

Thanks to our funding, collaborators, constructive reviewers, and for the very efficient process at Immunology & Cell Biology!

Omer Dushek @tcell.bsky.social · May 31

By comparing the advantages and limitations of each platform, we provide a framework to choose the most suitable system to study signal integration in both basic and translational contexts.

Omer Dushek @tcell.bsky.social · May 31

A recently developed CombiCell system enables easy manipulation of ligands while conserving key biophysical properties.

Omer Dushek @tcell.bsky.social · May 31

In contrast, solid surfaces or supported lipid bilayers allow easy manipulation of ligands but lack the biophysical properties of cells, such as softness, a glycocalyx, and/or ligand mobility.

Omer Dushek @tcell.bsky.social · May 31

Although genetically modified antigen-presenting cells (APCs) offer the most physiological system, manipulating their ligands is difficult and slow.

Omer Dushek @tcell.bsky.social · May 31

We review and compare the available platforms, focusing on T-cell recognition.

Omer Dushek @tcell.bsky.social · May 31

Since they encounter a huge variety of normal and abnormal cells, they experience many different combinations and concentrations of ligands.

Understanding immune responses therefore requires platforms that enable ligands to be easily manipulated.

Omer Dushek @tcell.bsky.social · May 31

Immune cells interact directly with other cells and make decisions by integrating information from many different receptor–ligand interactions at these cell–cell interfaces.

Omer Dushek @tcell.bsky.social · May 31

Our new review article led by Jordan Kramer:

Platforms for studying cell–cell recognition by immune cells

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Reposted by Omer Dushek

Dimova Lab @dimovalab.bsky.social · May 9

📢 Registration is open for the Biomembrane Days 2025!
🔗 biomembrane-days-2025.mpikg.mpg.de

A top-notch lineup of speakers, 120 posters, 200 scientists.
📜Submit an abstract by July 14
🏆3 Poster prizes
⚠️Limited spots-previous events were fully booked!

#BiomembraneDays2025 #Biophysics #CellMembranes

biomembrane-days-2025.mpikg.mpg.de

Omer Dushek @tcell.bsky.social · Apr 1

The original manuscript was published in @embojournal.org EMBO Journal last year

Using CombiCells, a platform for titration and combinatorial display of cell surface ligands, to study T-cell antigen sensitivity modulation by accessory receptors

www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....

Using CombiCells, a platform for titration and combinatorial display of cell surface ligands, to study T-cell antigen sensitivity modulation by accessory receptors | The EMBO Journal

imageimageThe inherent difficulty in manipulating cell surface proteins limits our ability to study cell–cell recognition. This work develops a platform for the combinatorial display of cell surface l...

www.embopress.org

Omer Dushek @tcell.bsky.social · Apr 1

Sofia has been exploiting the platform to study T cell signal integration by co-signalling receptor/ligand interactions.

Omer Dushek @tcell.bsky.social · Apr 1

CombiCells allow combinatorial display of cell surface ligands

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

A new Tools of the Trade article from Nature Reviews Immunology by Sofía Bustamante Eguiguren in our lab highlights the CombiCell platform to combinatorially display and titrate many cell surface ligands

Omer Dushek @tcell.bsky.social · Mar 6

The molecular reach of antibodies crucially underpins their viral neutralisation capacity

Our work on measuring and understanding the role of molecular reach on antibody function is now part of a list of editor's pick manuscripts:
www.nature.com/collections/...

Omer Dushek @tcell.bsky.social · Feb 22

A fantastic EACR conference that focuses on all aspects of immune responses to cancer!

Barcelona - May 2025

EACR - European Association for Cancer Research @helloeacr.bsky.social · Feb 17

There's a month left for you to submit an abstract or apply for a Travel Grant to attend the next edition of Defence is the Best Attack, taking place in Barcelona in May! ☀️

Join us for an overview of the most recent advances in the field of immunotherapy:

eacr.org/conference/d...

Reposted by Omer Dushek

Justin Eyquem @j-eyquem.bsky.social · Feb 4

🚨New paper alert! 🚨 Our latest work in
@cp-immunity.bsky.social shows that Ark313, an evolved AAV variant enables in vivo genetic engineering of murine T cells! 🧵👇

sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

In vivo engineering of murine T cells using the evolved adeno-associated virus variant Ark313

Genetic engineering of T cells in mouse models is essential for investigating immune mechanisms. We aimed to develop an approach to manipulate T cells…

sciencedirect.com

Reposted by Omer Dushek

British Society for Immunology @britsocimm.bsky.social · Feb 6

📢 LAST CHANCE to submit your abstracts for BSI Oxford and
@immunologyoxford.bsky.social's #OIS25 Symposium

This is your opportunity to take part in this celebration Oxford's outstanding #immunology research 🔬

Submissions are open until midnight on Friday 7th Feb 👉 bit.ly/4elJmnG

Reposted by Omer Dushek

British Society for Immunology @britsocimm.bsky.social · Jan 30

📢 Abstract submission for BSI Oxford and @immunologyoxford.bsky.social 's #OIS25 Symposium closes NEXT WEEK (7 Feb)

Don't miss your chance to take part in this celebration of the outstanding #immunology research happening across Oxford 💫

Submit your abstract here 👉 bit.ly/4elJmnG

Reposted by Omer Dushek

ilesla.bsky.social @ilesla.bsky.social · Jan 16

Two weeks to go until the application deadline for ILESLA. If you or anyone you know would benefit from full funding to carry out a PhD in Life and/or Environmental Science please visit/refer to our website page iles.web.ox.ac.uk/how-apply where you can see open day videos and get full guidance.

How to Apply and Funding

iles.web.ox.ac.uk

Reposted by Omer Dushek

The Dunn School, Oxford @dunnschool.bsky.social · Jan 14

We just can't stop recruiting!

Associate professor in cell and molecular biology @dunnschool, with a preference for immunology, inflammation and/or infection - all defined broadly

Come and be our colleague

Deadline 28 Feb, please spread the word

www.path.ox.ac.uk/vacancy/asso...

Reposted by Omer Dushek

Gerard Lab @gerardlab.bsky.social · Jan 16

The OT-I TCR is often criticised as being very high-affinity and displaying unusual behaviour compared to other TCR transgenics. New work from @tcell.bsky.social shows this might not be the case. Will I still use OT-I and all the wonderful tools associated with it? Yes I will!

Omer Dushek @tcell.bsky.social · Jan 16

Our new work!

The 3D affinities of the OT-I TCR to foreign and self-antigens predict their 2D affinities and reveal imperfect antigen discrimination

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...