Denise Fitzgerald
@deefitzgerald.bsky.social
Interested in how the immune system influences tissue damage and regeneration in the central nervous system. Prof of Neuroimmunology at Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland. Particular interest in oligodendrocytes, myelin, Tregs. Views my own.
Reposted by Denise Fitzgerald
At AIMSRN2025, our team highlighted why the eye matters in MS research. Catch up on the talks via the YouTube links below - worth a watch!
Dr Gavin McDonnell
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUtm...
Dr. Michelle Naughton
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-f4...
Dr Lajos Csincsik
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE5D...
Dr Gavin McDonnell
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUtm...
Dr. Michelle Naughton
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-f4...
Dr Lajos Csincsik
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE5D...
Could the eye be a window to the brain in MS? Dr. Michelle Naughton, Queens University Belfast
YouTube video by ALL Institute
www.youtube.com
July 19, 2025 at 2:32 PM
At AIMSRN2025, our team highlighted why the eye matters in MS research. Catch up on the talks via the YouTube links below - worth a watch!
Dr Gavin McDonnell
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUtm...
Dr. Michelle Naughton
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-f4...
Dr Lajos Csincsik
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE5D...
Dr Gavin McDonnell
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUtm...
Dr. Michelle Naughton
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-f4...
Dr Lajos Csincsik
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE5D...
Reposted by Denise Fitzgerald
Earlier this month, we trained on the new M2OCT at the NI Clinical Research Facility-thanks to Imagine Eyes! This hi-res tech will boost eye research in MS, glaucoma, Alzheimer’s & more, led by Queen’s University Belfast. Thanks to our funders incl. Jules Thorn Trust & iREACH Health! #MSResearchNI
July 19, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Earlier this month, we trained on the new M2OCT at the NI Clinical Research Facility-thanks to Imagine Eyes! This hi-res tech will boost eye research in MS, glaucoma, Alzheimer’s & more, led by Queen’s University Belfast. Thanks to our funders incl. Jules Thorn Trust & iREACH Health! #MSResearchNI
Reposted by Denise Fitzgerald
Last week, Prof. Imre Lengyel and Dr. Lajos Csincsik joined the Eyes on the Brain meeting hosted by Optos in Edinburgh to explore how eye imaging and AI could help detect and monitor brain and nerve conditions, including MS. Thanks to Optos for the invitation and inspiring discussions!
#MS #retina
#MS #retina
November 6, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Reposted by Denise Fitzgerald
🔬 Last month, our NI MS Research Hub team shared how the retina may help us better understand Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
We presented at the World Sight Day & Pan-Ireland Ophthalmic Meeting in Belfast — a great chance to link eye and brain health to support people with MS. 👁️🧠
#MSResearchNI #WSD2025
We presented at the World Sight Day & Pan-Ireland Ophthalmic Meeting in Belfast — a great chance to link eye and brain health to support people with MS. 👁️🧠
#MSResearchNI #WSD2025
November 6, 2025 at 6:02 PM
🔬 Last month, our NI MS Research Hub team shared how the retina may help us better understand Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
We presented at the World Sight Day & Pan-Ireland Ophthalmic Meeting in Belfast — a great chance to link eye and brain health to support people with MS. 👁️🧠
#MSResearchNI #WSD2025
We presented at the World Sight Day & Pan-Ireland Ophthalmic Meeting in Belfast — a great chance to link eye and brain health to support people with MS. 👁️🧠
#MSResearchNI #WSD2025
Reposted by Denise Fitzgerald
🎉 Huge congrats to Nira for winning Best Postdoctoral Research Talk at the Irish Society of Immunology Conference in Galway! 👏
She presented exciting work on how the brain repairs itself in MS, highlighting immune receptors that support remyelination.
#MSResearchNI @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social
She presented exciting work on how the brain repairs itself in MS, highlighting immune receptors that support remyelination.
#MSResearchNI @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social
November 6, 2025 at 6:07 PM
🎉 Huge congrats to Nira for winning Best Postdoctoral Research Talk at the Irish Society of Immunology Conference in Galway! 👏
She presented exciting work on how the brain repairs itself in MS, highlighting immune receptors that support remyelination.
#MSResearchNI @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social
She presented exciting work on how the brain repairs itself in MS, highlighting immune receptors that support remyelination.
#MSResearchNI @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social
Reposted by Denise Fitzgerald
Join the Glia community on bluesky go.bsky.app/Lyzro3M
November 15, 2024 at 10:31 AM
Join the Glia community on bluesky go.bsky.app/Lyzro3M
Reposted by Denise Fitzgerald
I hope this Nobel Prize gets people talking meaningfully about our amazing immune systems and the importance of basic research to human health (and funding basic research).
I am also glad young women get to see that women can not only work at this level, but that those who do can get recognized.
I am also glad young women get to see that women can not only work at this level, but that those who do can get recognized.
October 7, 2025 at 8:50 PM
I hope this Nobel Prize gets people talking meaningfully about our amazing immune systems and the importance of basic research to human health (and funding basic research).
I am also glad young women get to see that women can not only work at this level, but that those who do can get recognized.
I am also glad young women get to see that women can not only work at this level, but that those who do can get recognized.
Reposted by Denise Fitzgerald
Oh how sad
Really a towering figure, whose work laid the ground for stem cells, regenerative biology etc
I go to know him well over many years and he was definitely one-of a-kind...
Really a towering figure, whose work laid the ground for stem cells, regenerative biology etc
I go to know him well over many years and he was definitely one-of a-kind...
October 8, 2025 at 7:28 AM
Oh how sad
Really a towering figure, whose work laid the ground for stem cells, regenerative biology etc
I go to know him well over many years and he was definitely one-of a-kind...
Really a towering figure, whose work laid the ground for stem cells, regenerative biology etc
I go to know him well over many years and he was definitely one-of a-kind...
Great summary on the back story to this year's Nobel Prize
A small primer on the #NobelPrize awarded to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi today. This prize was for combining two separate fields of immunology research - genetic research on IPEX and immunology research of regulatory T cells (#Tregs), with enormous impact on biology/medicine
October 6, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Great summary on the back story to this year's Nobel Prize
Phenomenal achievement
🧵 BREAKING: Gene therapy shows promise in slowing Huntington’s disease progression. A major milestone in neurodegenerative disease research. @uclqsion.bsky.social @ucl-hd.bsky.social
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Huntington's disease successfully treated for first time
One of the most devastating diseases finally has a treatment that can slow its progression and transform lives, tearful doctors tell BBC.
www.bbc.co.uk
September 24, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Phenomenal achievement
Fantastic thread on budgeting from @labliston.bsky.social . Great advice for new (and not so new!) PIs. I would add awareness of how psychology impacts spending based on moving from low budget to high budget setting and vice versa....
🧵How to write and manage your first research budgets
The point of funding is to convert it into quality research. A well-spent research budget should fund the idea it was raised on, plus revision experiments, plus preliminary data for the next grant. So you need to spend, while avoiding waste.
The point of funding is to convert it into quality research. A well-spent research budget should fund the idea it was raised on, plus revision experiments, plus preliminary data for the next grant. So you need to spend, while avoiding waste.
September 20, 2025 at 8:15 AM
Fantastic thread on budgeting from @labliston.bsky.social . Great advice for new (and not so new!) PIs. I would add awareness of how psychology impacts spending based on moving from low budget to high budget setting and vice versa....
Reposted by Denise Fitzgerald
For our #flowcytometry peeps, would you like to have a single fix/perm protocol that is optimised for everything? One that preserves fluorophores while allowing simultaneous TF and cytokine staining? How about 100-fold cheaper?
You got it:
currentprotocols.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
You got it:
currentprotocols.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
currentprotocols.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
September 19, 2025 at 2:39 PM
For our #flowcytometry peeps, would you like to have a single fix/perm protocol that is optimised for everything? One that preserves fluorophores while allowing simultaneous TF and cytokine staining? How about 100-fold cheaper?
You got it:
currentprotocols.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
You got it:
currentprotocols.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reposted by Denise Fitzgerald
Step inside an immersive experience to learn about the global threat of antimicrobial resistant infections, how bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics and the research from @wwiem-qub.bsky.social at @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social to fight it.
Where: W5, 2 Queens Quay Belfast
When: 1st-15th Sep
Where: W5, 2 Queens Quay Belfast
When: 1st-15th Sep
August 26, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Step inside an immersive experience to learn about the global threat of antimicrobial resistant infections, how bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics and the research from @wwiem-qub.bsky.social at @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social to fight it.
Where: W5, 2 Queens Quay Belfast
When: 1st-15th Sep
Where: W5, 2 Queens Quay Belfast
When: 1st-15th Sep
Reposted by Denise Fitzgerald
Very promising news on the next seven-year EU budget, with a proposed substantial increase for Horizon Europe including the ERC.
We are analysing the other parts of this proposal in more detail.
@Vonderleyen @EZaharievaEU
research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/news/all-res...
We are analysing the other parts of this proposal in more detail.
@Vonderleyen @EZaharievaEU
research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/news/all-res...
Horizon Europe 2028 - 2034: twice bigger, simpler, faster and more impactful
Research and innovation news alert: As part of the next long-term EU budget 2028-2034, the Commission is proposing to double the budget of the research and innovation framework programme to €175 billi...
research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu
July 23, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Very promising news on the next seven-year EU budget, with a proposed substantial increase for Horizon Europe including the ERC.
We are analysing the other parts of this proposal in more detail.
@Vonderleyen @EZaharievaEU
research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/news/all-res...
We are analysing the other parts of this proposal in more detail.
@Vonderleyen @EZaharievaEU
research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/news/all-res...
Reposted by Denise Fitzgerald
Very pleased to say we have an Assistant Professor job opening (tenure track) in the Department of Genetics at Trinity College Dublin! 😀
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOA399/a... - deadline is August 19th! Please repost!
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOA399/a... - deadline is August 19th! Please repost!
July 23, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Very pleased to say we have an Assistant Professor job opening (tenure track) in the Department of Genetics at Trinity College Dublin! 😀
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOA399/a... - deadline is August 19th! Please repost!
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOA399/a... - deadline is August 19th! Please repost!
Reposted by Denise Fitzgerald
Catz Fellow @labliston.bsky.social (2023) is celebrating a £3M @wellcometrust.bsky.social Discovery Award for research into the rules by which immune cells in our blood are able to enter the brain & drive repair processes during #MultipleSclerosis
📸 Louisa Wood/@babrahaminst.bsky.social
📸 Louisa Wood/@babrahaminst.bsky.social
July 20, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Catz Fellow @labliston.bsky.social (2023) is celebrating a £3M @wellcometrust.bsky.social Discovery Award for research into the rules by which immune cells in our blood are able to enter the brain & drive repair processes during #MultipleSclerosis
📸 Louisa Wood/@babrahaminst.bsky.social
📸 Louisa Wood/@babrahaminst.bsky.social
Had a great conversation with @lonelypipette.bsky.social and @labliston.bsky.social about building positive research culture. Great to hear the other perspectives on this podcast too. Out now on the ALBA-IBRO diversity podcast @network-alba.bsky.social
The @lonelypipette.bsky.social interviewed me, @deefitzgerald.bsky.social, @dgrijseels.bsky.social and
@therealdrdukes.bsky.social on how team dynamics, lab values and inclusive #leadership shape research success, for the @network-alba.bsky.social podcast!
www.podbean.com/media/share/...
@therealdrdukes.bsky.social on how team dynamics, lab values and inclusive #leadership shape research success, for the @network-alba.bsky.social podcast!
www.podbean.com/media/share/...
June 22, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Had a great conversation with @lonelypipette.bsky.social and @labliston.bsky.social about building positive research culture. Great to hear the other perspectives on this podcast too. Out now on the ALBA-IBRO diversity podcast @network-alba.bsky.social
Reposted by Denise Fitzgerald
An interview with Muzlifah Haniffa
We spoke to Muzz @mhaniffa.bsky.social following her receipt of the 2025 Tickle Medal from the British Society for Developmental Biology @bsdb.bsky.social , to learn more about her career and her motivations:
journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...
We spoke to Muzz @mhaniffa.bsky.social following her receipt of the 2025 Tickle Medal from the British Society for Developmental Biology @bsdb.bsky.social , to learn more about her career and her motivations:
journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...
May 29, 2025 at 9:51 AM
An interview with Muzlifah Haniffa
We spoke to Muzz @mhaniffa.bsky.social following her receipt of the 2025 Tickle Medal from the British Society for Developmental Biology @bsdb.bsky.social , to learn more about her career and her motivations:
journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...
We spoke to Muzz @mhaniffa.bsky.social following her receipt of the 2025 Tickle Medal from the British Society for Developmental Biology @bsdb.bsky.social , to learn more about her career and her motivations:
journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...
Reposted by Denise Fitzgerald
For those who want a distraction and/ or are interested, here's the latest from the group, led by Phil Braaker
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Activity-driven myelin sheath growth is mediated by mGluR5 - Nature Neuroscience
Employing pharmacology, genetics and all-optical approaches in zebrafish, Braaker et al. find that neuronal activity influences the growth of myelin sheaths along axons by signaling through metabotrop...
www.nature.com
May 14, 2025 at 11:45 AM
For those who want a distraction and/ or are interested, here's the latest from the group, led by Phil Braaker
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Denise Fitzgerald
Dear immune/glia lovers of brain, gut and beyond… We’re looking for a lab tech/manager to join our team! Pls see details for application here ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/se… @ukdri.ac.uk @uclqsion.bsky.social - pls help circulate among networks who’d be of interest, thank you!
https://ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/se…
May 9, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Dear immune/glia lovers of brain, gut and beyond… We’re looking for a lab tech/manager to join our team! Pls see details for application here ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/se… @ukdri.ac.uk @uclqsion.bsky.social - pls help circulate among networks who’d be of interest, thank you!
Fantastic meeting in Cambridge and really impressive ECR talks!
Great talks by @rebeccakssmith.bsky.social, @martina-m.bsky.social and @juliavdkorput.bsky.social from our @annawilliamslab.bsky.social lab about oligodebdrocytes, myelin and disease heterogeneity at the Cambridge Centre for Myelin Repair held at @cambridgeuni.bsky.social
May 2, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Fantastic meeting in Cambridge and really impressive ECR talks!
Reposted by Denise Fitzgerald
The British Neuroscience Association (BNA) is delighted to share that The #BNA2027 International Festival of Neuroscience, will be held in the vibrant city of #Belfast
@neuroscienceirl.bsky.social @nramnani.bsky.social
Register your interest at bna2027.org.uk
www.bna.org.uk/mediacentre/...
@neuroscienceirl.bsky.social @nramnani.bsky.social
Register your interest at bna2027.org.uk
www.bna.org.uk/mediacentre/...
April 30, 2025 at 5:03 PM
The British Neuroscience Association (BNA) is delighted to share that The #BNA2027 International Festival of Neuroscience, will be held in the vibrant city of #Belfast
@neuroscienceirl.bsky.social @nramnani.bsky.social
Register your interest at bna2027.org.uk
www.bna.org.uk/mediacentre/...
@neuroscienceirl.bsky.social @nramnani.bsky.social
Register your interest at bna2027.org.uk
www.bna.org.uk/mediacentre/...
Reposted by Denise Fitzgerald
Yesterday, we were proud to launch a new research hub dedicated to tackling #MultipleSclerosis.
The Northern Ireland MS Research Hub will bring together a collaborative team of experts to help accelerate globally leading research and improve the lives of people affected by the condition.
The Northern Ireland MS Research Hub will bring together a collaborative team of experts to help accelerate globally leading research and improve the lives of people affected by the condition.
Northern Ireland’s first MS Research Hub launches as local team gets funding boost
Multiple sclerosis (MS) research in Northern Ireland (NI) is to be boosted by the launch of a new research hub dedicated to tackling the condition.
ow.ly
April 29, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Yesterday, we were proud to launch a new research hub dedicated to tackling #MultipleSclerosis.
The Northern Ireland MS Research Hub will bring together a collaborative team of experts to help accelerate globally leading research and improve the lives of people affected by the condition.
The Northern Ireland MS Research Hub will bring together a collaborative team of experts to help accelerate globally leading research and improve the lives of people affected by the condition.
Reposted by Denise Fitzgerald
We are recruiting a student for a really exciting PhD project on understanding how high plasma suPAR predicts poor outcome in patients with ARDS @wwiem-qub.bsky.social #ARDS #criticialcare
- any questions please get in touch! (open to UK and RoI) www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
- any questions please get in touch! (open to UK and RoI) www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Understanding how high plasma soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) predicts poor outcome in patients with ARDS. at Queen’s University Belfast on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - Understanding how high plasma soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) predicts poor outcome in patients with ARDS. at Queen’s University Belfast, listed on FindAPhD.com
www.findaphd.com
March 12, 2025 at 3:53 PM
We are recruiting a student for a really exciting PhD project on understanding how high plasma suPAR predicts poor outcome in patients with ARDS @wwiem-qub.bsky.social #ARDS #criticialcare
- any questions please get in touch! (open to UK and RoI) www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
- any questions please get in touch! (open to UK and RoI) www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Reposted by Denise Fitzgerald
Our new pipeline is out! We present an ex vivo versatile platform for assessing myelin dynamics of hiPSC oligodendroglia. 🔗 Check it out @STARProtocols: doi.org/10.1016/j.xp...
@erinmgibson.bsky.social @annawilliamslab.bsky.social collaboration lead by Themis Tsarouchas!
@erinmgibson.bsky.social @annawilliamslab.bsky.social collaboration lead by Themis Tsarouchas!
Redirecting
doi.org
February 3, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Our new pipeline is out! We present an ex vivo versatile platform for assessing myelin dynamics of hiPSC oligodendroglia. 🔗 Check it out @STARProtocols: doi.org/10.1016/j.xp...
@erinmgibson.bsky.social @annawilliamslab.bsky.social collaboration lead by Themis Tsarouchas!
@erinmgibson.bsky.social @annawilliamslab.bsky.social collaboration lead by Themis Tsarouchas!