Oliver Garden
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Oliver is a Reader in Internal Medicine and Immunology. His research focuses on regulatory T cells in dogs and mice in both the healthy organism and in the context of autoimmune disease and cancer.
Biography
Oliver graduated from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) in 1993, having completed an intercalated BSc at King's College London in 1990. Following a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery, he successfully completed a Wellcome Trust Clinical PhD programme in small animal gastroenterology and immunology at the RVC in 1998 and then a Wellcome Trust Research Training Fellowship at the University of South Carolina Medical School in 1999.
From 1999 to 2001, Oliver completed a Residency in Small Animal Internal Medicine at Cornell University. Between 2001 and 2004, Oliver undertook a Wellcome Trust Advanced Fellowship within the Department of Immunology at Imperial College London (ICL), Hammersmith Campus, under the sponsorship of Professor Sir Robert Lechler. Oliver also gained the DipACVIM in 2002 and the DipECVIM-CA in 2003. He became an Honorary Lecturer in the Department of Immunology at ICL in 2003, and from 2004 has held an appointment with the RVC as a Senior Lecturer and then Reader in Internal Medicine and Immunology. Oliver is a member of the Lifestyle and Infection and Immunity research themes at the RVC, and he leads the Oncology Special Interest Group (part of Lifestyle).
Research
REGULATORY T CELL LABORATORY
Introduction
Dr Oliver Garden’s laboratory, based at the Camden Campus of the Royal Veterinary College, specialises in cellular immunology, with a specific expertise in regulatory T cell (Treg) biology. Oliver started his laboratory with the aid of a Wellcome Trust Advanced Fellowship in 2001 within the Department of Immunology, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, following post-doctoral training at the University of South Carolina Medical School and a Residency in Small Animal Internal Medicine at Cornell University.
Successful BSc, MSc and PhD projects
To date, four PhD students, two BSc students and 10 MSc students have successfully graduated following projects carried out within Oliver’s laboratory; of the MSc students, seven gained Distinctions for their projects and all but two have completed – or are currently completing – successful PhD projects. The laboratory has also employed two Research Technicians, who both moved on to prestigious Research Associate posts – one at King’s College London and the other at University College London – following the conclusion of their contracts. The laboratory is currently home to a postdoctoral Fellow (Dr Dammy Pinheiro) and two PhD students (Katharine Carney and Elizabeth Slack), and hosts from one to three undergraduate or postgraduate students – undertaking BSc, BVetMed or MSc degrees – at any one time.
Key expertise and funding
Key techniques for which Oliver’s laboratory has specific expertise include T cell culture, including sophisticated Treg assays in vitro; multi-colour analytical flow cytometry; ELISAs of a number of Th1 and Th2 cytokines; and molecular biological techniques, including PCR, cloning and transduction of constructs into mammalian cells.
Total extra-mural grant income since 2003 has been ≈ £1.5m, including industrial sources, the Medical Research Council, Mizutani Foundation for Glycoscience, Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, Biotechnology and Biological Research Council (BBSRC), European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ECVIM), Italian Ministry of Health, American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care (ACVECC), Wellcome Trust, and Petplan Charitable Trust (PPCT). Current funding includes grants from the BBSRC, ECVIM, ACVECC, PPCT and Wellcome Trust.
Delivering for industry
Oliver’s laboratory has successfully worked with four major industrial partners over the past six years, consistently delivering on-time and within budget – for both product-orientated projects and blue-sky research. The laboratory has a dynamic, forward-looking, innovative and committed work ethic – with an unquestionable dedication to its team members, to its academic funders and to its industrial partners.
The biennial Treg/Th Cell Symposium
Oliver is the coordinator for a biennial series of one-day symposia on regulatory T cells and T helper cells, the first one of which (March 2012) focused on ontogeny, plasticity and clinical applications. Click here for the Proceedings notes for the first of these exciting events, published in Immunology. These meetings are organised with the help of the RVC Continuing Professional Development Unit. Six world-class speakers came to the RVC to share their research findings in March of 2012, supported by three short oral communications and a number of poster presentations by PhD students and post-doctoral scientists.
Oliver is currently organising the next of these exciting symposia, due to be held at the RVC on 25th April 2014. Confirmed speakers include Professors JOACHIM SCHULTZE, JOHN GRIBBEN, AWEN GALLIMORE, PAUL GARSIDE, LUCY WALKER and ANNE COOKE. Watch this space for more details soon! Register early to avoid disappointment!
Teaching
Oliver is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, having completed the Certificate of Advanced Studies in Learning and Teaching at Imperial College London (ICL) in 2005. He teaches at both the RVC and ICL. His teaching portfolio at the RVC includes lectures on immune-mediated disease and feline infectious disease, delivered to the Fourth Year BVetMed students; a role as leader of the Feline Medicine Post-Rotation Taught Tracking (PRTT; Elective) Module, on which he lectures and presents cases in the format of problem-based learning; and both structured and ad hoc teaching on the clinic floor of the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals. Oliver has coordinated the programme of research projects ('Research Project 2') and PRTT (Elective) modules for the Final Year students for the past five years.
His teaching responsibilities at ICL include lectures on dendritic cells, immunological tolerance, Th1/2/17 cells, regulatory T cells and systemic lupus erythematosus. He presents to the MSc students within the Section of Immunobiology, Department of Medicine, acting as a teacher, Course Tutor and examiner for the MSc degree. His particular pedagogical interest is maximising the effectiveness of ad hoc clinical teaching on the hospital floor.
Clinical
Oliver is a member of the Small Animal Internal Medicine team within the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals (QMHA), seeing dogs and cats with all manner of medical problems. His particular clinical interests include gastrointestinal and immune-mediated disease; Oliver has contributed chapters on immune-mediated disease and gastrointestinal immunology to two widely read textbooks in the field.
Oliver is also involved in the teaching and supervision of both Junior and Senior Clinical Training Scholars (Interns and Residents) in the QMHA, having contributed to the training of 30 Junior and 43 Senior Clinical Training Scholars over the years.
Selected Publications
KIDDER, D, RICHARDS, HE, ZILTENER, HJ, GARDEN, OA and CROCKER, PR (2013) Sialoadhesin ligand expression identifies a subset of CD4+Foxp3- T cells with a distinct activation and glycosylation profile. Journal of Immunology 190 (6): 2593-2602. PMID: 23408841
BURR, SP, DAZZI, F and GARDEN, OA (2013) Mesenchymal stromal cells and regulatory T cells: the Yin and Yang of peripheral tolerance? Immunology and Cell Biology 91 (1): 12-18. PMID:23146942
SOOND, DR, SLACK, EC, GARDEN, OA, PATTON, DT and OKKENHAUG, K (2012) Does the PI3K pathway promote or antagonize regulatory T cell development and function? Frontiers in Immunology 3: 244. PMID: 22912633
SOOND, DR, GARCON, F, PATTON, DT, ROLF, J, TURNER, M, SCUDAMORE, C, GARDEN, OA and OKKENHAUG, K (2012) Pten loss in CD4+ T cells enhances their helper function but does not lead to autoimmunity or lymphoma. Journal of Immunology 188 (12): 5935-5943. PMID: 22611241
LEWIS, DH, CHAN, DL, PINHEIRO, D, ARMITAGE-CHAN, E and GARDEN, OA (2012) The immunopathology of sepsis: pathogen recognition, systemic inflammation, the compensatory anti-inflammatory response and regulatory T cells. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 26 (3): 457-482. PMID:22428780
SCHMITZ, S, GARDEN, OA, WERLING, D and ALLENSPACH, K (2012) Gene expression of selected signature cytokines of T cell subsets in duodenal tissues of dogs with and without inflammatory bowel disease. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology 146 (1): 87-91. PMID:22333286
SINGH, Y, DYSON, J and GARDEN, OA (2011) Use of SNARF-1 to measure murine T cell proliferation in vitro and its application in a novel regulatory T cell suppression assay. Immunology Letters 140 (1-2): 21-29. PMID:21664378
KATHRANI, A, SCHMITZ, S, PRIESTNALL, SL, SMITH, KC, WERLING, D, GARDEN, OA and ALLENSPACH, K (2011) CD11c+ cells are significantly decreased in the duodenum, ileum and colon of dogs with inflammatory bowel disease. Journal of Comparative Pathology 145 (4): 359-366. PMID:21592490
GARDEN, OA, PINHEIRO, DY and CUNNINGHAM, F (2011) All creatures great and small: regulatory T cells in mice, humans, dogs and other domestic animal species. International Immunopharmacology 11 (5): 576-588. PMID:21093606
PINHEIRO, D, SINGH, Y, GRANT, C, APPLETON, RC, SACCHINI, F, WALKER, KRL, CHADBOURNE, AH, PALMER, CA, ARMITAGE-CHAN, E, THOMPSON, I, WILLIAMSON, L, CUNNINGHAM, F and GARDEN, OA (2011) Phenotypic and functional characterisation of a CD4+CD25highFOXP3high regulatory T cell population in the dog. Immunology 132 (1): 111-122. PMID:20880379
BAILEY, S, BENIGNI, L, EASTWOOD, J, GARDEN, OA, McMAHON, L, SMITH, K, STEINER, JM, SUCHODOLSKI, JS and ALLENSPACH, K (2010) Comparisons between cats with normal and increased fPLI concentrations in cats diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease. Journal of Small Animal Practice 51 (9): 484-489. PMID:21050218
SINGH, Y, FERREIRA, C, CHAN, AC, DYSON, J and GARDEN, OA (2010) Restricted TCR-alpha CDR3 diversity disadvantages natural regulatory T cell development in the B6.2.16 beta chain transgenic mouse. Journal of Immunology 185 (6): 3408-3416. PMID:20713881
GAJANAYAKE, I, PRIESTNALL, SL, BENIGNI, L, ENGLISH, K, SUMMERS, B and GARDEN, OA (2010) Paraneoplastic hypercalcemia in a dog with benign renal angiomyxoma. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation 22 (5): 775-780. PMID:20807942
ALLENSPACH, K, HOUSE, A, SMITH, K, MNNEILL, FM, HENDRICKS, A, ELSON-RIGGINS, J, RIDDLE, A, STEINER, JM, WERLING, D, GARDEN, OA, CATCHPOLE, B and SUCHODOLSKI, JS (2010) Evaluation of mucosal bacteria and histopathology, clinical disease activity and expression of Toll-like receptors in German shepherd dogs with chronic enteropathies. Veterinary Microbiology 146 (3-4): 326-335. PMID:20615633
CARLUCCI, F, FOSSATI-JIMACK, L, DUMITRIU, IE, HEIDARI, Y, WALPORT, MJ, SZAJNA, M, BARUAH, P, GARDEN, OA, COOK, HT and BOTTO, M (2010) Identification and characterization of a lupus suppressor 129 locus on chromosome 3. Journal of Immunology 184 (11): 6256-6265. PMID:20435933
FERREIRA, C, SINGH, Y, FURMANSKI, AL, WONG, FS, GARDEN, OA and DYSON, J (2009) Non-obese diabetic mice select a low-diversity repertoire of natural regulatory T cells. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA) 106 (20): 8320-8325. PMID:19359477
KATHRANI, A, STEINER, JM, SUCHODOLSKI, J, EASTWOOD, J, SYME, H, GARDEN, OA and ALLENSPACH, K (2009) Elevated canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity concentration in dogs with inflammatory bowel disease is associated with a negative outcome. Journal of Small Animal Practice 50 (3): 126-132. PMID:19261082
KOHLHAAS, S, GARDEN, OA, SCUDAMORE, C, TURNER, M, OKKENHAUG, K and VIGORITO, E (2009) Cutting Edge: the Foxp3 target miR-155 contributes to the development of regulatory T cells. Journal of Immunology 182 (5): 2578-2582 (dual first authorship). PMID:19234151
HASLAM, SM, JULIEN, S, BURCHELL, JM, MONK, CR, CERONI, A, GARDEN, OA and DELL, A (2008) Characterizing the glycome of the mammalian immune system. Immunology and Cell Biology 86 (7): 564-573. PMID:18725885
ISAACS, J D, GARDEN, OA, KAUR, G, COLLINGE, J, JACKSON, GS and ALTMANN, DM (2008) The cellular prion protein is preferentially expressed by CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3+ regulatory T cells. Immunology 125 (3): 313-319. PubMed ID 18462346
YATES, J, ROVIS, F, MITCHELL, P, AFZALI, B, TSANG, JY, GARIN, M, LECHLER, RI, LOMBARDI, G and GARDEN, OA (2007) The maintenance of human CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T cell function: IL-2, IL-4, IL-7 and IL-15 preserve optimal suppressive potency in vitro. International Immunology 19: 785-799. PubMed ID 17545278
GARDEN, OA, REYNOLDS, PR, YATES, J, LARKMAN DJ, MARELLI-BERG FM, HASKARD DO, EDWARDS AD and GEORGE AJT (2006) A rapid method for labelling CD4+ T cells with ultrasmall paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for magnetic resonance imaging that preserves proliferative, regulatory and migratory behaviour in vitro. Journal of Immunological Methods 314 (1-2): 123-133. PMID:16860821
PATTON, DT, GARDEN, OA, PEARCE, WP, CLOUGH, LE, MONK, CR, LEUNG, E, ROWAN, WC, SANCHO, S, WALKER, LS, VANHAESEBROECK, B and OKKENHAUG, K (2006) Cutting edge: the phosphoinositide 3-kinase p110 delta is critical for the function of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells. Journal of Immunology 177: 6598-6602. PubMed ID 17082571
MONK, CR, SUTTON-SMITH, M, DELL, A and GARDEN, OA (2006) Preparation of CD25+ and CD25- CD4+ T cells for glycomic analysis--a cautionary tale of serum glycoprotein sequestration. Glycobiology 16: 11G-13G. PubMed ID 16770844
GARDEN, OA, REYNOLDS, PR, YATES, J, LARKMAN, DJ, MARELLI-BERG, FM, HASKARD, DO, EDWARDS, AD and GEORGE, AJ (2006) A rapid method for labelling CD4+ T cells with ultrasmall paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for magnetic resonance imaging that preserves proliferative, regulatory and migratory behaviour in vitro. Journal of Immunological Methods 314: 123-133. PubMed ID 16860821
MONK, CR, SPACHIDOU, M, ROVIS, F, LEUNG, E, BOTTO, M, LECHLER, RI and GARDEN, OA (2005) MRL/Mp CD4+,CD25- T cells show reduced sensitivity to suppression by CD4+,CD25+ regulatory T cells in vitro: a novel defect of T cell regulation in systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis and Rheumatism 52: 1180-1184. PubMed ID 15818683
ROVIS, F, WAIT, R, LEE, BBC, MONK, CR, LECHLER, RI and GARDEN, OA (2004) Proteomic characterization of murine CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells. Immunology 2004. Vol. ISBN 88-7587-069-1, pp. 79-84. Bologna: Medimond Srl.
LECHLER, RI, GARDEN, OA and TURKA, LA (2003) The complementary roles of deletion and regulation in transplantation tolerance. Nature Reviews in Immunology 3: 147-158. PubMed ID 12563298
GARDEN, OA (2001) Genetic modelling of intestinal disease: the paradigm of gluten-sensitive enteropathy in the Irish setter dog – a model for human coeliac disease? The European Journal of Comparative Gastroenterology 10: 2-12.
RICH, IN, WORTHINGTON-WHITE, D, GARDEN, OA and MUSK, P (2000) Apoptosis of leukemic cells accompanies reduction in intracellular pH after targeted inhibition of the Na+/H+ exchanger. Blood 95: 1427-1434. PubMed ID 10666221
GARDEN, OA, PIDDUCK, H, LAKHANI, KH, WALKER, D, WOOD, JL and BATT, RM (2000) Inheritance of gluten-sensitive enteropathy in Irish Setters. American Journal of Veterinary Research 61: 462-468. PubMed ID 10772115
GARDEN, OA, MUSK, P, WORTHINGTON-WHITE, DA, DEWEY, MJ and RICH, IN (2000) Silent polymorphisms within the coding region of human sodium/hydrogen exchanger isoform-1 cDNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of leukemia patients: A comparison with healthy controls. Cancer Genetics and Cytogenetics 120: 37-43. PubMed ID 10913675
Outreach Activities
Oliver is a regular contributor to the RVC's schools outreach programme, including the 'RVC on Tour' and the BSc (Bioveterinary Sciences) Open Day for school children. He also volunteers for British Society for Immunology public engagement activities (e.g. The Secret Life of Snot at the Big Bang Fair, ExCel Centre, London). He passionately believes in the importance of clear communication of scientific issues to the greater public and his research was featured in a recent podcast ('RVC 50'). He has lectured to veterinarians and veterinary nurses in the UK, USA and Asia – both general practitioners and specialists.