Congratulations to our former Beit-Glasgow MSc student, Liz Chimbayo, who recently passed her PhD viva with the University of Glasgow under the supervision of Profs. Henry Mwandumba (MLW), James Brewer, and Paul Garside (UoG). Her research focused on investigating the impact of HIV-1 infection on T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire diversity and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) T cell function in the lungs of Malawians. Through the project, she has demonstrated that HIV is associated with an altered phenotype and function of the Mtb-specific T cells and limits TCR repertoire diversity in the lung and blood, which is partially restored following long-term antiretroviral therapy (ART). The impaired T-cell responses may explain the increased risk of active TB in people living with HIV.

Liz obtained her MSc in Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases in 2019 (with a Distinction) at the University of Glasgow supported by the Beit Trust. This led to the award of the international student scholarship that supported her PhD studies in Malawi. “I’m forever grateful to the Beit Trust scholarship for laying a solid foundation in my career and unlocking new opportunities for me. I have secured a Postdoctoral fellowship in the USA in Prof Joanne Flynn’s Lab at the University of Pittsburgh, where I will be studying vaccine-induced immune responses to Mtb in animal macaques. I am looking forward to fostering new collaborations and generating scientific knowledge that will be vital in reducing the burden of tuberculosis in endemic areas such as Malawi.”