Overview
I am a postdoctoral research associate in the Humphreys Lab, working on understanding pathways underlying virus-induced inflammation, and developing human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models to study these pathways in human cells. I am currently conducting my research at the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine in Oxford, working with Tao Dong’s lab on the potential role of IFITM3, a protein known to directly restrict many important viral pathogens, in regulating the inflammatory response to human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and Influenza A virus.
Biography
2020
- Wellington D, Yin Z, Abdel‐Haq A, Zhang L, Forbester J, Kite K, et al. IFITM3‐specific antibody reveals IFN preferences and slow IFN induction of the antiviral factor IFITM3 in humans. Eur J Immunol. 2020; eji.202048706. doi:10.1002/eji.202048706
- Forbester JL, Humphreys IR. Genetic influences on viral-induced cytokine responses in the lung. Mucosal Immunol. 2020; doi:10.1038/s41385-020-00355-6
- Forbester JL et al, 2020. IRF5 promotes influenza-induced inflammatory responses in human iPSC-derived myeloid cells and murine models. Journal of Virology. 94, doi:10.1128/JVI.00121-20
- Mukhopadhyay S, Heinz E, Porreca I, Alasoo K, Yeung A, Yang H-T, Schwerd T, Forbester JL, 2020. Loss of IL-10 signalling in macrophages limits bacterial killing driven by prostaglandin E2. Journal of Experimental Medicine. 217 (2):e20180649
2019
- Poole E, Huang CJZ, Forbester JL et al, 2019. An iPSC-derived myeloid lineage model of herpes virus latency and reactivation. Frontiers in Immunology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.02233
- Lees EA, Forbester JL et al, 2019. Using Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived Intestinal Organoids to Study and Modify Epithelial Cell Protection Against Salmonella and Other Pathogens. Journal of Visualized Experiments (147), e59478, doi:10.3791/59478.
- Kraiczy J, Howell KJ, Ross A, Forbester JL et al, 2019. Genome-wide epigenetic and transcriptomic characterization of human induced pluripotent stem cell -derived intestinal epithelial organoids. Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology: 7 (2) 285-288
2018
- Forbester JL et al, 2018. Interleukin-22 promotes phagolysosomal fusion to induce protection against Salmonella enterica Typhimurium in human epithelial cells. PNAS: 115 (40) 10118-10123
- Giemeno-Brias S, Marsden M, Forbester JL et al, 2018. Interferon lambda promotes interferon gamma-expressing NK cell responses but does not afford antiviral protection during murine cytomegalovirus infection. PLoS ONE 13(5): e0197596. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0197596
2017
- Kraiczy J, Nayak KM, Howell KJ, Ross A, Forbester JL et al, 2017. DNA methylation defines regional identity of human intestinal epithelial organoids and undergoes dynamic changes during development Gut. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2017-314817
- Baker KS, Campos J, Pichel M, Della Gaspera A, Duarte-Martínez F, Campos-Chacón E, Bolaños-Acuña HM, Guzmán-Verri C, Mather AE, Diaz Velasco S, Zamudio Rojas ML, Forbester JL et al, 2017. Whole genome sequencing of Shigella sonnei through PulseNet Latin America and the Caribbean: advancing global surveillance of foodborne illnesses. Clinical Microbiology & Infection. 23(845-853)
2016
- Forbester JL, Hannan N, Vallier L, Dougan G, 2016. Generation of intestinal organoids from human induced pluripotent stem cells for use as an infection system. Methods in Molecular Biology. Humana Press doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/7651_2016_7
- Mottram L, Speak AO, Selek RM, Cambridge EL, McIntyre Z, Kane L, Mukhopadhyay S, Grove C, Colin A, Brandt C, Duque-Correa MA, Forbester JL et al, 2016. Infection susceptibility in gastric intrinsic factor (Vitamin B12) – defective mice is subject to maternal influences. mBio 7 (3) e00830-16: doi:10.1128/mBio.00830-16
- Klemm EJ, Gkrania-Klotsas E, Hadfield J, Forbester JL et al, 2016. Emergence of a host-adapted pathogen through rapid evolution in an immunocompromised host. Nature Microbiology 1, doi:10.1038/nmicrobiol.2015.23.
2015
- Forbester JL et al, 2015. The interaction of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium with intestinal organoids derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells. Infection & Immunity, 83(7): doi: 10.1128/IAI.00161-15
2012
- Pehl M, Jamieson WD, Kong K, Fredendall RJ, Forbester JL et al, 2012. Genes that Influence Swarming Motility and Biofilm formation in Variovorax paradoxus EPS. PLoS ONE 7(2): e31832. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0031832
Honours and awards
- BSI special travel award (£1000) for attendance at IUIS, Beijing (2019)
- MRC DTG supplement (£5548) awarded to support transfer to independent postdoctoral research (2016)
Academic positions
2016-present: Postdoctoral Research Associate Cardiff University
2012-2016: Wellcome Trust PhD studentship at the Wellcome Sanger Insitute/University of Cambridge
Speaking engagements
Conference proceedings, invited speaker:
- Forbester JL. Interleukin-22 signalling in hIPSC-derived intestinal organoids. 3rd Ghent Gut Inflammation Group meeting, 13th-14th June, 2019 (Invited speaker)
- Forbester JL. Interleukin-22 signalling in hIPSC-derived intestinal organoids. Microbial Society Annual Conference 2017, 6th April 2017 (Invited speaker)
- Forbester JL. Robinson College, Cambridge, Biomedical Alumni meeting (Invited speaker), 15th October 2016
- Forbester JL. First intestinal epithelial research symposium. University of Cambridge, 21st April 2016 (Invited speaker)
- Forbester JL. Seminar on hIPSC-derived organoid technologies. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Gothenburg, 18th November 2015 (Invited speaker)
- Forbester JL. iPS/Organoid Science Meeting. GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage, 4th November, 2014 (Invited speaker)
Conference proceedings, selected talk:
- Forbester JL. IRF5 promotes influenza-induced inflammatory responses in human iPSC-derived myeloid cells and murine models. MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine annual postdoc symposium (Selected talk)
- Forbester JL. IFITM3 regulates TLR-induced inflammatory cytokine production in myeloid cells to control CMV-induced inflammatory cytokines. UK CMV meeting, 29th-30th November, 2018 (Selected talk)
- Forbester JL. hIPSC-derived dendritic cells identify IRF5 as a crucial regulator that exacerbates inflammatory cytokine production during Influenza A virus infection. European Congress of Immunology, Amsterdam, 2nd-5th September 2018 (Selected talk)
- Forbester JL. Using hIPSC-derived dendritic cells to identify mechanisms regulating inflammatory cytokine production in response to viral infection. Infection & Immunity annual meeting, Cardiff 16th November 2017 (Selected talk)
Conference proceedings, poster presentation:
- Forbester JL et al., IRF5 promotes influenza-induced inflammatory responses in human iPSC-derived myeloid cells and murine models. IUIS Beijing, 19th-23rd October, 2019 (Poster)
- Forbester JL, et al. Using hIPSC-derived dendritic cells to identify mechanisms regulating inflammatory cytokine production in response to viral infection. British Society of Immunology Annual Congress, Brighton 4th-7th December 2017 (Poster)
- Forbester JL, et al. Intestinal organoids are a novel system to study Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium interaction with the intestinal epithelial barrier. BSI Congress, Brighton, UK, 1st-4th December, 2014 (Poster)
- Forbester JL & Orwin PM. Differential Expression Of Two Genes In Various Phases Of Growth, Biofilm Formation, And Swarming By Variovorax paradoxus EPS. ASM General Meeting, New Orleans, LA, U.S., 21st-24th May, 2011 (Poster)
Committees and reviewing
Journal reviewer: Frontiers in Immunology, Stem Cells, PLoS ONE