Department of Ageing, Rheumatology & Regenerative Medicine

About us

Our department comprises basic scientists and clinician-scientists working to understand the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases and ageing, and to develop new technologies that improve tissue regeneration.

Our mission is to conduct high-impact research that expands understanding of disease and translates discoveries into clinical practice and better outcomes for patients.

Our work

We employ state-of-the-art laboratory techniques and human experimental models of infection, injury and tissue regeneration. Findings are translated through pre-clinical models into early-phase clinical testing.

Our research is supported by access to patient data and a curated repository of patient samples and gender-diverse healthy control samples across different ages. This enables us to investigate disease mechanisms and identify new treatment approaches.

The department works closely with clinical teams at:

UCLH
The Royal Free Hospital
Great Ormond Street Hospital / Institute of Child Health
Institute of Ophthalmology
The Cleveland Clinic

These collaborations ensure research findings are directly relevant to patient populations and can be translated into clinical practice, offering access to clinical trials and new therapies.

Contacts

Rayne Building
5 University Street
London
WC1E 6JF

Professor Derek Gilroy

Head of Department

d.gilroy@ucl.ac.uk 020 7679 6933

Professor Coziana Ciurtin

Deputy Head of Department

c.ciurtin@ucl.ac.uk 020 3447 9035

Research areas and centres

Experimental Inflammation

Experimental Inflammation

Using human experimental models of inflammation alongside rodent models for mechanistic insight, we are interested in mechanisms that help to resolve inflammatory responses to infection and injury.

Human Health and Performance

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Human Health and Performance

This centre brings together clinician-academics and basic scientists to explore human physiology and pathophysiology, using insights from each to inform the other.

Immunosenescence and Ageing

Immunosenescence and Ageing

The Centre for Immunosenescence and Ageing investigates mechanisms that control the differentiation and ageing of human T lymphocytes.

Obesity and Metabolism

A silhouette of the digestive system over a wicker basket of fruit.

Obesity and Metabolism

The Centre for Obesity Research is internationally recognised for its work on gut hormone research.

Precision Healthcare & Regenerative Medicine

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Precision Healthcare & Regenerative Medicine

The Day Lab is part of the Centre for Precision Healthcare and the Department of Ageing, Rheumatology & Regenerative Medicine within the UCL Division of Medicine.

Rheumatology (Bloomsbury)

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Rheumatology (Bloomsbury)

The Centre for Rheumatology is a leading UK academic rheumatology unit researching connective tissue diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis.

REINVENT FOCiS Centre of Excellence

The REINVENT FOCiS Centre of Excellence integrates multidisciplinary research across teams working with paediatric, adolescent and young adult patients with autoimmune and inflammatory conditions.

Resources from past events

Facilities

The Rayne Flow Cytometry Facility provides training and access to advanced flow cytometry analysers and cell-sorting instruments using conventional and spectral technology.

Access to the facility is available to UCL staff and students.

Location

Rayne Building
5 University Street
London
WC1E 6JF

Find out more about our facilities

View available equipment, services and book facilities online.

Find out more

Department staff

The department includes centre heads, principal investigators, fellows, research staff, postdoctoral researchers, trial coordinators, technicians, administrators and PhD students working across ageing, rheumatology, regenerative medicine and related fields.