Immune therapy
We study immunity to viruses that remain leading global causes of morbidity and mortality: human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B (HBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV) and SARS-CoV-2.
By dissecting how these viruses evade host immunity and by distinguishing protective from pathogenic immune responses, we can inform development of urgently needed vaccines and immunotherapies.
Cancer Immunology
We explore how the interaction between cancer cells and immune cells in the tumour microenvironment impairs immune control of cancer, and how this knowledge could develop new forms of immunotherapy.
Antiviral Vaccines and Therapies
We focus on translating our research findings into novel approaches to prophylactic vaccination (e.g. against coronavirus) and therapeutic vaccination (and hepatitis B virus).
Protective and Dysfunctional Antiviral Immunity
We focus on viruses that are major global health challenges. As part of this, we analyse how innate and adaptive immune responses differ in people with efficient versus poor virus control.
Immune tolerance
We seek to understand more about the mechanisms behind the function of T & B cells, autoimmune diseases, the complexity of the immunity system, and tissue immunity from disease sites.
Our aim is to tackle overreaction or erroneous behaviours, and to develop better vaccine designs, biomarkers and targeted immunotherapies.
Autoimmunity and Inflammation
We investigate the mechanisms behind autoimmune diseases, such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease, and develop therapies to prevent them.
Computational Immunology
This interdisciplinary field applies computational and mathematical approaches to study the immune system's complexity and its interactions with pathogens, diseases, and therapies.
T and B Cell Development and Function
We are working to understand of how T and B cells function, to improve vaccine design and to tackle overreacting T and B cells, such as in autoimmune diseases or allergies.
Tissue Immunity
We analyse tissue immunity from disease sites to view the responses providing frontline defence and/or driving damage. Our aim is to develop biomarkers and immunotherapies targeted to disease sites.
Transplantation
Our research explores the role of the innate and adaptive immune response against transplanted organs.
Inherited disease
We study inborn errors of immunity (IEI), rare inherited diseases that result in immunodeficiency and/or autoimmunity, inflammation and malignancy. The number of identified genes that cause IEI continues to grow. We aim to explore the mechanisms by which specific gene mutations in IEI cause immunological diseases and use this knowledge to develop new therapies.
Inherited Immunological Diseases
We aim to determine the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which specific gene mutations in inborn errors of immunity cause immunological diseases and use this knowledge to develop new therapies.
Latest news
Michael Nicholson Award for kidney transplant study
Prof. Reza Motallebzadeh has received a £94,000 award to study how a group of immune cells found in the kidney control viral infections in kidney transplant patients.
IIT professor elected to Academy of Medical Sciences
Prof. Christopher Denton, chair of the UK scleroderma study group (UKSSG), is among 58 biomedical and health scientists to be elected to the Academy in 2024.
£1m award to investigate new treatment for type 1 diabetes
IIT scientists including Prof. Lucy Walker and Dr Andreas Tiffeau-Mayer are part of a team to receive £997,000 from the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge.
