Rebecca Mclean Email & Phone Number

Surrey, England, United Kingdom

Surrey, England, United Kingdom

Continuing with my passion for One Health I worked on an Innovate UK / Department of Health funded project to develop and assess the immunogenicity of a pseudorabies vectored vaccine against Nipah virus in pigs. Alongside this I developed a companion DIVA diagnostic test.

Surrey, England, United Kingdom

I worked on a project titled ‘A Nipah vaccine to eliminate porcine reservoirs and safeguard human health’. As the postdoctoral scientist and project manager of this project, we aimed to develop an inexpensive, safe and efficacious vaccine for use in pigs to protect against Nipah virus (NiV) infection and transmission thereby reducing the risk to public health. The vaccine will also reduce the major risk NiV poses to both the nascent developing pig industries, as well as to the livelihoods of poor livestock keepers in low and middle income countries. Furthermore, we are aimed to be able to discriminate between infected and vaccinated animals, providing an important new tool to aid the monitoring, control and elimination of NiV from these reservoirs in South and Southeast Asia.Alongside this project, since March 2020, I joined the fight against COVID-19. I am currently using my skills to help in the battle towards a safe and effective vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. Here, we are testing the most promising UK vaccine candidates to help improve our understanding. Thus far we have assessed the immunogenicity of 8 different vaccines, and helped guide human trials from the data we created.

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

“Optimising immunogenicity of a novel adjuvant for improved subunit vaccine delivery in mammals”Whilst finalising my doctoral thesis, I joined a project looking to improve bovine tuberculosis vaccines in cattle using Cobalt oxide nanoparticles (CoNPs) as a vaccine delivery system. More specifically I have:● Optimised the loading of antigen onto CoNPs as well as determining the stability of antigen binding by immunoblots.● Confirmed CoNPs are non-toxic and non-inflammatory in vitro by cytokine ELISAs and LDH assays.● Determined delivery of antigen by CoNPs to bovine antigen presenting cells (APCs) by fluorescent microscopy.● Assessed adverse effects of CoNPs in vivo. This was done by determining cell infiltration of CoNPs by skin biopsies and lymph node extraction. Analysed using IHC techniques.● Evaluated the immunogenicity in cattle. Blood samples assessed for antigen specific cytokine expression in whole blood. Furthermore, IFNγ, IL-4 and IL-17 release from T-cells was measured by flow cytometry to determine T-cell bias.

Penicuik

Vaccines are a highly effective means of preventing infectious disease. However, formany diseases of livestock the available vaccines are ineffective or sub-optimal.This is partly due to challenges surrounding the specific targeting of antigenpresenting cells (APCs). In order to improve the delivery of protective antigens tohost APCs, I have developed a novel lentiviral vector.Thesis Title: “Development of a novel lentiviral vaccine vector and characterisation of in vitro immune responses”Developing, characterising and assessing the functionality of a novel ovine lentivirus based vaccine delivery system for ruminants. In this project I successfully:● Enhanced the safety profile of the ovine lentivirus vaccine vector utilising molecular biology and tissue culture techniques.● Characterised the novel viral vaccine vector using multi-colour flow cytometry.● Produced monocyte-derived dendritic cells and macrophages from ovine and bovine blood. Cell surface staining and flow cytometry used to phenotype the different cell populations.● Assessed the interactions between lentiviral vectors and primary cells in vitro, in particular studying apoptosis and phagocytosis by fluorescent microscopy.● Evaluated recall immune responses elicited from the novel ovine lentiviral vaccine vector by cytokine release T-cells, analysed by ELISA and intracellular staining.● Supervised Masters, Undergraduate, Erasmus and work experience students.● Supported a large, multi-disciplinary in vivo vaccine experiment. This work included laboratory work processing multiple blood samples for cytokine simulation as well as post-mortem analysis.● Winner of the Moredun Research Institute PhD Student competition in 2016.● Winner of the Scotia Agricultural Club post-graduate research student prize 2016.

Penicuik

Liaising with members of staff regarding any problems post-graduate students registered through The University of Edinburgh and based at Moredun Research Institute may have encountered.

Newport, United Kingdom

An interim project to gain further hands on experience prior to getting stuck into my PhD commencing in October 2013.Here, I worked for Dr. Kate Baker who is investigating the most effective methods in the reduction of greenhouse gas emission from grazing fields by either the compaction of the ground by tractors or cattle along with or without the addition of nitrification inhibitors.Techniques used throughout this project are as follows:•Gas chromatography to measure levels of methane, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide from gas samples taken from the field.•Measuring pH of soil samples throughout the year•Analysis of dried soil samples to measure nitrogen, sulphur and carbon content of soil samples using Leco Nitrogen, Carbon and Sulphur Analysers.•Performing KCl extractions to measure ammonium and nitrate content of soil samples using FLUOstar Optima equipment.I have also had the responsibility of training, managing and organising 3 new members of laboratory staff on this project.

Newport, United Kingdom

This increased reliance on biological and veterinary sciences together with biotechnology, has created the need for appropriately trained scientists. I successfully completed my BSc (Hons) in Bio-Veterinary Science in 2013 at Harper Adams University. This is where my passion for prevention of livestock diseases began to blossom.

Newmarket

The Animal Health Trust (AHT) is a veterinary charity dedicated to improving the health and welfare of horses, dogs and cats. Disease and injury are the most common threats to animal welfare, and The AHT exist to reduce and prevent any unnecessary suffering.Project Title: “Investigating the expression of Streptococcus equi superantigens in vivo of naturally and experimentally infected hosts”Investigating whether Streptococcus equi superantigens are present during a Strangles infection in horses and then to further explore their action in pathogenicity. Here I:● Processed abscess material and other highly infectious samples in a sterile, safe manner.● Successfully extracted RNA and DNA from various tissue samples, before utilising qPCR and agarose gel electrophoresis to assess superantigen expression.● Isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from equine blood and leukocytes from tissue samples for use in proliferation assays.● Sequenced superantigen genes to evaluate whether they are active or not from naturally and experimentally infected animals.● Supervised undergraduate students in the laboratory.

June 2011 - September 2011 - IT Department. Helping in a system upgrade of the ERP system. Collecting relevant data, inputting data and also assisting in stock taking to ensure stocks reconcile with the MFG system.April 2011 - May 2011 - Marketing DepartmentMarketing Assistant: Helping to prepare for an up-coming Trade Show by assisting in the compilation of company product brochures.December 2010 - January 2011 - Sales Department - Customer Service Representative: Answering customer enquiries, taking sales orders, involved in coordinating e-mail campaigns between the UK and the USA.June 2010 - September 2010 - Operations - Working on the automated packaging lines, (punch presses for pre-cut liners), office duties administrating time cards and overtime reports.December 2009 - January 2010 - Finance Department - Collating and reporting weekly sales figures. Assisting in accounts payable (Invoices, credit notes, GRN’s) etc.June 2009 - August 2009 - Laboratory Assistant - FTIR scanning, tensile testing of laminated products, quality procedures on incoming raw materials, testing material associated to new product development, assisting in potential fault diagnostics.

Large Sheep Farm (600 lambing ewes, 6 rams) - Assisted with lambing along with both the ewe's and the lambs aftercare.

Large Beef Farm (800 cows) - General care of the herd; taking bulls to market to be sold; general farm tasks.

Small Dairy Farm consisting of 50 cows - Duties included milking of cows twice a day, preparing pigs for slaughter at the abbotoir.

Government Department - Assisting with Tuberculosis (TB) testing; health checking all animals entering the UK.

Town Veterinary Practise: dealing with companion animals - Observation of surgeries and consultations; sterilisation of surgical equipment; general cleaning and feeding.

City Veterinary Practise: dealing with companion animals - Working in the drugs dispensary; observation of surgeries and consultations & cleaning and sterilisation of surgical equipment.

Rural Veterinary Practise: dealing with large and companion animals - Observation of surgeries and consultations, sterilisation of surgical equipment.

Equine - Welfare and education in all horse handling and preparation

Exotic reptiles work experience - Feeding, cleaning and preperation of the animals for sale

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Immunology And Virology

Bsc (Hons), Bio-Veterinary Science

Activities and Societies: Harper Adams Netball Club

Education record