Ambassador of the Month

Caleb Petersen is a medical student at Stellenbosch University, South Africa.  Under the supervision of A.Prof Nelita Du Plessis and Dr Leigh Kotze in the Division of molecular biology and Human Genetics part of the Immunology research group. He completed his BSc and BSc Hons in molecular biology with an elective in advanced immunology at Stellenbosch University before pursuing a Master’s degree within the immunology research group. In his division, most of the research done is on Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and the team specifically investigates the innate immune response of the host to Mtb. Caleb decided to study medicine in the pursuit of building a bridge between what is overseen between clinical pathology and the wet lab science of immunology.

What made you choose the field of Immunology over others?

I remember during my final year I got exposed to the topic of immunology as a subsection of biochemistry, and it completely captivated me. Immunology reminded me of why I wanted to do science, igniting a desire to know more. I went back to my dorm room and started reading and I remember naively thinking I will cure cancer one day by manipulating the immune system to recognise cancerous cells, all before realising how complex cancer was. But none the less, I knew there and then that immunology was what I wanted to do going forward.

Tell us a bit about the current research work that you are part of?

Mtb is a tricky pathogen that has developed mechanisms to not only evade the host immune response but also manipulate the host to construct a niche environment in the form of a granuloma. It is within this granuloma that the pathogen can survive latently for years. During my honours and master’s, under the supervision of some amazing women in science, we worked on the development of a 3D TB lung granuloma model. In this model, we used patient derived cells to construct a 3D spherical organoid that can replicate the in vivo microenvironment of a granuloma. The aim was to have a model that can unlock new information on host pathogen interaction. This is because a granuloma biopsy from a donor with active TB requires ethical clearance. This provides a high throughput model that can give insight into specific host responses and a model that can be used for drug penetration research.

What drew you to Immunopaedia?

To be honest Immunopaedia came as a recommendation from a friend, but I am so pleased to have found a website where I can read up on medical case studies that build a bridge between pathology and hard science.

What advice do you have for fellow researchers that are interested in Immunology?

Immunology is definitely one of the more difficult disciplines but, anything worth pursuing is not easy. The field provides excitement and challenges, perfect for researchers that enjoy solving problems. Once you have a grasp on immunology, it ignites a passion for wanting to know more on how to solves disease mystery’s and even identify immunological complication in loved ones that may present an illness. It is a field that breeds excellence, so be ready to be a lifelong learner.

If you were not involved in Immunology, what other scientific fields do you see yourself contributing to?

As a medical student, I would have to say that I would see myself contributing to the field of medicine. Maybe research in cancer therapies and other forms of drug discovery.

If you could learn and perform the assay/laboratory technique of your dreams, which one would that be and why?

I have experience in flow cytometry and florescent microscopy, but if there was another laboratory technique I would like to learn and master, it would be electron microscopy. I am a big fan of Dr Caroline Beltran’s work and her ability to use multiple microscopy techniques to construct a 3D image of a whole organ that can be digitally dissected and investigated. This allows one to not only look at specific florescent markers, but also different internal and surface structures.

If anyone was visiting Stellenbosch for the first time, what do you feel are top 5 things they must not leave without experiencing?

Stellenbosch is an absolutely beautiful town and university. Some of my top 5 things to do when visiting would be:

1. Visiting the wine farms in the surrounding area. Stellenbosch is the wine capital of South Africa with amazing sensory.
2. Go to Drop Street and Church Street and enjoy the Sunday market and the variety of South African cuisine.
3. Go experience the passion and spirit of students at a varsity cup rugby match.
4. Going for a hike up Jonkershoek Nature Reserve to enjoy the beautiful waterwall and mountain biking trail.
5. Have lunch at Postcard Café with a nice glass of wine.