Award justification: "For her decisive discoveries that have changed our understanding of hematopoiesis and the immune system. Her research maps how the immune system is shaped by genetic programs and early life events, with a particular focus on how B-cell memory is established early in life. These insights are important for the development of improved vaccination strategies and immunotherapies.”
Joan Yuan has always been interested in developmental biology and fascinated by the complexities of the immune system. It is a system that regulates itself and is designed to fight off intruders, but also to be responsive so that the body is not harmed. In her research, she wants to investigate which factors - both environmental and genetic - influence how the early immune system is trained.
"In fetal life and when we are babies, our immune system is at its most malleable and receptive to learning about the outside world. When microscopic organisms, bacteria and viruses first establish themselves in the gut, our immune system is trained in what is dangerous and what is not," says Joan Yuan, leader of the Developmental Immunology Research Group at Lund Stem Cell Center.
People usually talk about the hygiene hypothesis, which means that a certain level of microbial exposure during fetal life and infancy is necessary to develop a balanced immune system. This may partly explain why we see an increase in allergies and autoimmune diseases in modern societies where hygiene and cleanliness have been prioritized.
Joan Yuan wants to understand how tolerance to foreign substances is regulated and how we can direct the immune system to react stronger or weaker. In the long run, she hopes that her research will lead to new knowledge about how we could use these mechanisms when we are affected by illness. This is exactly what immunotherapy is based on. Being able to control the immune system and design therapeutic treatments, either to fight infections and cancer, or to suppress the body's defenses when it comes to autoimmune diseases.
"It is our B cells that create our immunological memory. By tagging these early B cells in mice with a fluorescent protein, we can follow them throughout life to see what immune responses they contribute and how they differ from other immune cells."
Although today Joan Yuan feels that she is in exactly the right place and - together with her research team - has the opportunity to make a difference in the field of immunological research, the road to becoming a successful researcher has not been smooth. There are many factors that are uncertain within the research profession.
"Everything from being able to get enough funding, to stopping and evaluating which path to take and which research niche will have the greatest effect. At the same time, it is also exciting not to always see the whole way ahead and to dare to change direction when necessary. Being nominated by colleagues for the Fernström prize and then receiving it, feels both affirming and full of honor. I feel very grateful to my research team and am optimistic when I think about the next few years!"