Skin Cancer and the Immune System
My path to an exciting and rewarding Scientific Career
Dr Scott Byrne
Cancer Institute NSW Career Development Fellow
Infectious Diseases and Immunology
What is an Immunologist?
A scientist who studies how our immune system works
o Our Immune System protects us from diseases
• Viruses
 common cold (rhinovirus)
 The flu (Influenza)
• Bacteria
• Worms
• Parasites
 Malaria
• Fungal Infections
Immune Cells in our skin
o Our Immune System also protects us from getting Cancer
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Where is our Immune System?
Everywhere!
o Our Immune System is a
collection of
• Cells
• Tissues
• Molecules
o Our immune system is
found in almost every
organ of our bodies
Mast cell in the skin
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Why become an Immunologist?
Design better Vaccines! Cure Cancer! Cure Diseases!
o Our Immune System can also cause some diseases
• Autoimmune Diseases
 Type 1, insulin dependent diabetes
 Multiple Sclerosis
www.dana.org
 Rheumatoid Arthritis
 Lupus
• Immune-deficiency Diseases
 “Boy-in-the-bubble”
(no immune system at all!)
o Organ Transplants
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Some Famous Australian Immunologists
Florey
Warren
Marshall
Burnet
Nossal
Frazer
Doherty
Suzanne Cory
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What do I Research & Why?
Sunlight, Skin Cancer and the Immune System
o 2 out of 3 Australians will get skin cancer at some stage in their lives
o The ultraviolet (UV) part of Sunlight is the cause of skin cancer
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Melanoma continues to rise!
Melanoma
Testis
Non-Hodgkin’s
Hodgkin’s
Melanoma
Breast
Thyroid
Cervix
Melanoma Incidence, NSW 2000-2004
Source: NSW Cancer Council
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Prostate Cancer Incidence, NSW 2000-2004
Source: NSW Cancer Council
average
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average
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average
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How does Sunlight Cause Cancer?
DNA damage AND Suppression of the Immune System
We research the effect of UV on the cells of the immune system
1. B cells (responsible for producing antibodies)
2. Mast cells (responsible for allergies)
What have we discovered?
UV-B-Regs
Mast cells activate UV-B-regs
Mast cell surrounded by B cells
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Why is my research important?
A unique target for therapy
o Knowing how UV suppresses our immune system will
enable us to design ways to prevent it from happening
• Good for preventing skin cancer
o Or perhaps make it happen, which could help:
• Make Organ Transplants more successful
• Treat Autoimmune Diseases
Enabling all of us to
live healthy lives under the Australian Sun
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How did I get here?
My path, and some advice to our next generation of scientists
Skin after UV
What path did I follow?
o HSC – St Patrick’s College Strathfield - 1993
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2 Unit Chemistry
2 Unit Physics
4 Unit Maths
2 Unit Advanced English
2 Unit Economics
1 Unit Religious Studies (compulsory)
o Bachelor of Science – The University of Sydney – 1994
• Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology
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What path did I follow?
o Bachelor of Medical Science – The University of Sydney
• Physiology, Anatomy, Biochemistry, Pharmacology,
• Immunology
o Honours in Cell Pathology – 1997
• West Nile Virus research
o PhD in Tumour Immunology
The University of Sydney – 1998-2002
• Skin Cancer and the Immune System
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What path did I follow?
o Post doctoral studies in Sydney – 2002
• Discovered UV-B-Regs
o Post doctoral studies in Houston, Texas. USA – 2004
• MD Anderson Cancer Center
o Further postdoctoral studies back in Sydney – 2006
• Discovered mast cells activate UV-B-regs
o Cancer Institute NSW Career Development fellow - 2008
o Senior Lecturer in Immunology – current
• The University of Sydney
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Why Choose to be a Scientist?
Discover new things
Help society
Respect
Exciting
Travel
Be independent
Flexible
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My advice
Saying: “I don’t know” is not a crime…
Not trying to find the answer is.
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More Info and Fun things
› Immune System Defender (online game):
- http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/medicine/immunity/index.html
› Cells Alive!
- http://www.cellsalive.com/index.htm
› My Laboratory’s Website:
- http://web.me.com/scottbyrne/Byrne_Lab
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