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Rebecca Drummond

Fellow, Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham
Rebecca Drummond is a fungal immunologist researching mechanisms of immunity that protect us from fungal pathogens, such as Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans.

Her lab is particularly interested in how organ-specific immune responses develop by studying the behaviour of tissue-resident myeloid cells during infection and the microbial response to the environment within host tissues.

Rebecca completed her BSc in Immunology with Honours at the University of Edinburgh in 2010. She then moved to the University of Aberdeen and joined the Aberdeen Fungal Group, where she earned her PhD in 2014. Rebecca’s doctoral research focused on understanding mechanisms of adaptive antifungal immunity and revealed a novel role for the innate receptor Dectin-1 in the gut (Drummond et al, 2016, Mucosal Immunology), as well as identifying defects in the fungal-specific T-cell response in the kidney (Drummond et al, 2014, JI).

In 2014, Rebecca moved to the USA to work at the National Institutes of Health. Here, she primarily focused on understanding the pathogenesis of human CARD9 deficiency, a primary immunodeficiency disease that predisposes to fungal infection of the brain (Drummond et al, 2015, PLoS Pathogens).

In 2018, Rebecca was awarded a Birmingham Fellow position to set up her own research group at the University of Birmingham.

Thrush: zinc may prevent yeast infections – new research

Dec 13, 2023 13:42 pm UTC| Health

Around half a billion women experience a vaginal yeast infection (thrush) every year with around 140 million women suffering from multiple infections throughout their lifetime. While treatments do exist for thrush, for...

The Last of Us: fungal infections really can kill – and they’re getting more dangerous

Jan 26, 2023 11:56 am UTC| Entertainment

Millions have been tuning in every week to watch the highly anticipated TV adaptation of The Last of Us. The show depicts a post-apocalyptic world where society has collapsed due to the outbreak of a dangerous,...

Economy

China’s Copper Smelters Slash Output Amid Severe Concentrate Shortage and Record Losses

Chinas major copper smelters have begun widespread maintenance shutdowns in Marchan unusual move during peak demand seasondue to an escalating copper concentrate shortage and plunging treatment fees. The maintenance,...

Dollar Strengthens as Fed Holds Rates and Market Eyes Trump Tariff Moves

The U.S. dollar stayed firm on Friday, extending gains after its strongest daily performance in three weeks. Markets reacted to the Federal Reserves steady interest rate stance and cautious outlook on future cuts. Fed...

Ireland’s Economy Faces 1.8% Decline by 2032 Amid U.S.-EU Trade Tensions

Irelands domestic economy could shrink by up to 1.8% by 2032 if the United States and European Union impose lasting tit-for-tat tariffs, according to a study co-authored by Irelands finance ministry and the Economic and...

Aussie Supermarkets Under Fire as Prices Soar and Profits Rise

Australias top supermarket chainsWoolworths, Coles, and ALDIhave expanded profit margins amid soaring grocery prices, according to a new report by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The watchdog...

Japan Inflation Stays Sticky in February, Boosting BOJ Rate Hike Bets

Japans consumer inflation remained elevated in February, fueling expectations that the Bank of Japan (BOJ) will continue tightening monetary policy in 2024. Government data released Friday showed the national Consumer...

Politics

Judge Halts SSA Data Sharing with Musk’s DOGE Over Privacy Breach

A U.S. federal judge has ruled that the Social Security Administration (SSA) likely violated privacy laws by granting Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) unrestricted access to sensitive data of millions...

Elon Musk to Receive Pentagon Briefing on U.S.-China War Plans Amid Rising Influence

Elon Musk is set to receive a classified briefing at the Pentagon this Friday on the U.S. militarys potential war strategies involving China, according to a New York Times report citing informed officials. The session will...

Europe Eyes Defense Shift from U.S. as Trump Factor Looms

Europes top military powers are quietly crafting plans to assume greater responsibility for the continents defense, aiming to ease reliance on the United States amid concerns over a potential Trump return to the White...

North Korea Tests New Anti-Aircraft Missile Amid Rising Tensions

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test-firing of the countrys latest anti-aircraft missile system on Thursday, according to state media KCNA. The test confirmed the systems reliability and combat efficiency, with...

U.S. Judge Cleared of Ethics Violations After CNN Interview on Trump’s Attacks

Senior U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton has been cleared of judicial misconduct after speaking out on CNN against threats made towards the judiciary. The 3rd Circuit Judicial Council dismissed two ethics complaints...

Science

What’s the shape of the universe? Mathematicians use topology to study the shape of the world and everything in it

When you look at your surrounding environment, it might seem like youre living on a flat plane. After all, this is why you can navigate a new city using a map: a flat piece of paper that represents all the places around...

Asteroid has a very small chance of hitting Earth in 2032, but a collision could devastate a city

In December 2024, astronomers in Chile spotted a new asteroid streaking through the sky, which they named 2024 YR4. Whats significant about this 100m-wide space rock is that it has a small chance of hitting Earth in 2023....

Leonardo da Vinci’s incredible studies of human anatomy still don’t get the recognition they deserve

Wikimedia, CC BY-SA The mere mention of Leonardo da Vinci evokes genius. We know him as a polymath whose interests spanned astronomy, geology, hydrology, engineering and physics. As a painter, his Mona Lisa and Last Supper...

One of the largest searches for alien life started 30 years ago. Its legacy lives on today

In February 1995, a small research organisation known as the SETI Institute launched what was then the most comprehensive search for an answer to a centuries-old question: are we alone in the universe? This Sunday marks...

South African telescope discovers a giant galaxy that’s 32 times bigger than Earth’s

Inkathazos glowing plasma jets are shown in red and yellow. The starlight from other surrounding galaxies can be seen in the background. K.K.L Charlton (UCT), MeerKAT, HSC, CARTA, IDIA, CC BY You may not know it, but right...

Technology

Tesla to Produce 5,000 Optimus Robots in 2024 Amid EV Market Challenges

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) plans to manufacture 5,000 units of its Optimus humanoid robot this year, CEO Elon Musk revealed during a recent all-hands meeting. Despite Tesla shares plunging 41.5% year-to-date, Musk encouraged...

Instagram Experiences Widespread Outage, Thousands Affected in the U.S.

Instagram, owned by Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META), suffered a major outage on Thursday evening, leaving thousands of users in the U.S. unable to access the platform. According to Downdetector, a site that tracks service...

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang Reconsiders Quantum Computing at GTC 2025

At NVIDIAs GTC 2025 conference, CEO Jensen Huang took a surprising turn on his earlier skepticism toward quantum computing. Hosting two panels with leaders from 12 top quantum companies, including IonQ and D-Wave Quantum...

Nvidia to Invest Hundreds of Billions in U.S. Chip Supply Chain

Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) plans to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on U.S.-made chips and electronics over the next four years, CEO Jensen Huang revealed in an interview with the Financial Times. The company expects to...

SoftBank Acquires AI-Focused Chipmaker Ampere in $6.5B Deal

SoftBank Group (TYO:9984) is acquiring U.S. chip startup Ampere Computing in a $6.5 billion all-cash deal, strengthening its AI-driven semiconductor portfolio. Ampere, founded in 2018 by former Intel (NASDAQ:INTC)...