APPENDIX 92
Memorandum from Langhorne Laboratory
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Laboratory of Jean Langhorne studies malaria,
a disease which kills millions of children every year. We study
the disease in humans, via a collaboration with the Wellcome and
KEMRI-sponsored institute in Kilifi, Kenya. We also study the
immune system in malaria infection in mice. Mice provide a model
for many aspects of the disease which are not easily investigated
in humans. Basic biology is vital to the fight against disease.
Mill Hill, as an international centre of excellence for basic
biology, is as important as clinic-based science, and Academia-based
science. We hope that the government's emphasis on clinical science
will not detract from study of the basic sciences which make that
possible.
Our work on the immunology of malaria occurs
at the intersection of two huge and complex fields of science.
The help and input of knowledge and equipment that we derive from
collaborations within the institute, both within the Infection
and Immunology Research Area and with other divisions, is indispensible
for our work. We do not believe that a move into London can possibly
improve our facilities, the collaborations available to us, or
our science. In contrast, it would cost millions and interrupt
our work setting us back in the fight against malaria; which means
that millions more would die while we struggle to get back on
our feet. We have outlined below what we consider to be the irreplaceable
facilities and the critical mass of disciplines and internationally
renowned scientists at Mill Hill required for our work on malaria
to succeed against this wily internal predator.
Dear Sirs,
We are writing in support of keeping the NIMR
in Mill Hill. We have confined our comments to three critical
areas. Firstly, the positive aspects of the present site for our
work, including the animal facility, the finest in the UK. Secondly,
the perfect constellation of disciplines assembled here, including
the best immunology faculty and the highest concentration of malaria
research as well as truly world-class faculty experts in recombinant
protein structure and production. The third area we would like
to highlight is our very successful clinical collaboration in
Africa, which would not benefit by co-location with any UK clinical
centre/hospital.
(i) Internal Collaboration: The first two
areas are best summarized by the work of the dendritic cell group
within our laboratory. We are studying the cells which initiate
the protective immune response to malaria, Dendritic Cells. If
we want to develop an efficient malaria vaccine, it is critical
to understand how these cells are triggered. We are fortunate
to have the support of scientists in the other divisions of the
Infection and Immunity group who have tremendous experience in
other infectious diseases like tuberculosis and influenza to help
me plan and execute my experiments. Researchers in the division
of Immune Regulation have been critical in developing the techniques
we are using in malaria, and are always available just upstairs
to help and discuss.
(ii) Biological Services: The study of malaria
requires veterinary technicians trained to follow special requirements
in mouse care. We are very well supported by the experienced staff
in Biological Services who run a unique unit specialized in malaria
for our work. Moving mice is a process which takes years and is
incredibly disruptive to a lab. Our lab moved here from Germany
several years ago, and we have just gotten all of our strains
back into use this year.
We would like to point out that we would not
be able to do our experiments unless the mouse facility is very
close to the lab (see Figure 1), we would not be able to move
to a new site without this amenity. We want to know how the malaria
parasite stimulates Dendritic Cells so I mix the two together.
First, we have to catch the parasite at the right time of day,
sometimes this means multiple trips to the mouse facility to check
if it is ready. Then, I have to purify the parasite and the dendritic
cells. The dendritic cells are very fragile and also quite rare,
so time is of the essence. Several of us work together to rush
back and forth from the mouse house checking the parasites to
the purification equipment in the Parasitology and Immunology
divisions. Having all of the right ingredients here at Mill Hill
has made this work possible.
(iii) Clinical Collaboration Though we have
several productive collaborations with immunologists and parasite
biologists in the UK, our primary external collaboration is with
clinicians and scientists in Kilifi, on the coast of Kenya. Over
the years we have hosted scientists and been hosted by Wellcome
Trust/KEMRI Research Laboratories. By commuting back and forth,
Kenyan scientists investigating basic biology of malaria vaccine
candidates have been able to utilize the facilities at the to
do cutting edge work on human malaria. British students have also
been able to utilize the well-developed cohorts at the malaria
clinic there for samples to investigate here in the UK. Scientists,
ideas and equipment move between Oxford, Kilifi and Mill Hill
in a very productive set of collaborations in pursuit of a malaria
vaccine testing options in Kenya in humans and here in mice. This
type of collaboration could not be improved by a move into London,
in fact a move would disrupt the laboratory financially and physically,
only possibly delaying the timeline of any advances toward a vaccine
trial.
We hope that this description of our laboratory's
work can provide some insight into why we believe that our best
interests as scientists, and as people living in Britain, are
best served by the multi-disciplinary basic research institute
we currently have at Mill Hill with its divisions geographically
linked and its excellent facilities close to hand. We do not believe
that combining this institute with any other institution in the
UK would lead to an improved output of clinically relevant science.
Alternate proposals should be considered for enhancing this type
of collaboration and providing training opportunities for clinicians
and researchers wishing to translate basic science to the bedside.
23 November 2004
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