Ross F. Laidlaw
Research areas of interest: Multi-omics, Immunology, Data Science, Precision Medicine
Affiliation(s)
Leiden University Medical Center | Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases
Education and Research background
My research career started at the University of Glasgow where I did my Bachelor’s degree in Immunology. For my Bachelor’s research project I got my first proper exposure to bioinformatics and was instantly captivated. From there I did my PhD between the University of Glasgow and University of Edinburgh looking at the transcriptomic changes that accompany lifecycle transitions in the parasite T. brucei. Looking to combine my newfound passion for bioinformatics with my background in immunology, I joined the lab of Professor Maria Yazdanbakhsh as a post-doctoral researcher, where I am now.
My work on immune responses to vaccines
For my post-doctoral research I am mainly focusing on identifying what drives differences in vaccine responses across rural and urban Tanzania and the Netherlands. Specifically, I am examining data we have generated from a trial where we vaccinated participants with the Yellow Fever virus vaccine. I am also looking at data we have generated from a tonsil organoid model where we have exposed organoids to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.
beyond research
When I am not working with data, I can usually be found drinking interesting soft drinks, losing at board games, or watching films. There seems to be a lot of hill climbing mentioned by other HypoVax researchers, and all I can say is that I am from Scotland and have climbed enough hills for several lifetimes—although I do enjoy bouldering.