Dr Martin Davey

Supervisor Details

Contact Details

Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick

Scientific Background

Research Interests

The vertebrate immune system has evolved to ensure host survival from pathogenic microbes. The immune system is a highly specialised network of cells, organs, receptors and soluble factors that protects the host from infection and cancer, while also promoting healthy tissues. The adaptive immune system – responsible for generating memory to past infections - has retained a tripartite cellular network of B cells, αβ T-cells and γδ T-cells for ~450 million years of vertebrate evolution.

We know a lot about “conventional” β T-cells, but while “unconventional” γδ Tcells are frequently implicated in anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-parasitic immunity, the mechanisms that this group of immune cells employs to communicate and control these infections is almost completely unclear.

My lab investigates the role of these human γδ T-cells across tissues, life and infections (malaria, tuberculosis and viruses).

Research Groups

Institute of Translational Medicine

Warwick Cancer Research Centre

Biomedical Sciences

Supervision Style

In three words or phrases: Supportive, collaborative and understanding.

Provision of Training

Initial technical training will carried out by core facility staff, lab members and me, to give the student the broadest possible learning base to develop their own technical independence.

Progression Monitoring and Management

Students are guided through projects by presenting data and technical challenges to lab members at bi-weekly informal group meetings, and strategic meetings with me on a monthly basis. Science always comes with challenges, and you will be fully supported to tackle those challenges as they arise.

Communication

I am always contactable via email and don't expect responses out of hours.

Meetings

PhD Students can expect scheduled meetings with me at least once per fortnight. These meetings will be face-to-face. I am usually contactable for an instant response on every working day.

Work Patterns

The timing of work in my lab is completely flexible, and (other than attending pre-arranged meetings) I expect students to manage their own time.

Notice Period for Feedback

Feedback requirements can be discussed at supervision meetings.

MIBTP Project Details

Primary supervisor for:

Exploring unconventional mechanisms of lymphoid tissue surveillance

See the PhD Opportunities section to see if this project is currently open for applications via MIBTP.

Please Note: The main page lists projects via BBSRC Research Theme(s) quoted and then relevant Topic(s).

Exploring unconventional mechanisms of lymphoid tissue surveillance

Secondary Supervisor(s): Professor Sascha Ott

University of Registration: University of Warwick

BBSRC Research Themes:

Understanding the Rules of Life (Immunology)

Project Outline

Lymphoid tissues (bone marrow, thymus, spleen and lymph nodes) are specialized anatomical structures that orchestrate immune responses. In the steady state, immune cells continuously patrol these tissues via well-defined migratory routes, guided by chemokines and adhesion molecules. This dynamic surveillance ensures rapid detection of pathogens and maintenance of immune tolerance. Understanding immune surveillance within human lymphoid tissues is critical for elucidating how the immune system maintains homeostasis and responds to pathogens, cancerous cells, and tissue damage.

While conventional immune cells such as B cells and alpha beta (αβ) T cells have been extensively studied in these contexts, unconventional T cells, particularly human gamma delta (γδ) T cells, remain underexplored. In this project we seek to investigate the currently unknown contribution of human γδ T cells to lymphoid tissue surveillance, and in-turn explore novel mechanisms of immune regulation and tissue integrity.

The overall objective of the project will be to explore human γδ T cells that patrol lymphoid tissues and the novel mechanisms they use to contribute to lymphoid tissue homeostasis.

We will explore this objective via 3 inter-related aims:

1) Tissue-regulatory γδ T cells in primary (bone marrow) and secondary (spleen and lymph nodes) lymphoid tissues.

2) Tissue homing and segregation of lymphoid tissue γδ T cells.

3) γδ T cell receptor (TCR) mediated interactions with lymphoid tissue stromal cell niches.

To do this we'll combine established access to primary human tissues (blood, bone marrow and spleen) with cutting-edge immunological techniques, including high-dimensional spectral flow cytometry and single cell multiomics, that include γδ TCR information and spatial mapping of individual cells within the tissue architecture.

Co-supervisor on a project with Professor Meera Unnikrishnan.