Dr Sian Pitt-Wells

Sian is a Postdoctoral Scientist in the T Cell Biology Group at The Pirbright Institute. Her research focuses on the porcine immune system, including the characterisation of porcine plasma cells and their role in immune responses. Sian completed her undergraduate placement year in the Non-Vesicular Reference Laboratory, where she worked on inactivating African swine fever virus (ASFV) for the production of standardised reference materials. She then returned to The Pirbright Institute to undertake a PhD in the African Swine Fever Vaccinology Group. Her PhD thesis, “B Cell Responses in Protection Against African Swine Fever Virus,” investigated the contribution of B cells to protective immunity against ASFV. Following her PhD, Sian joined the T Cell Biology Group as a postdoctoral scientist. She currently works on a range of projects investigating different aspects of the porcine immune system, with a particular interest in understanding antibody-producing plasma cells and their role in protection against disease. Her research aims to improve understanding of immune responses in pigs and support the development of better vaccines and disease control strategies.