Public awareness of the immune system and the importance of immunology has never been greater than it is now. The immune system can protect people against Sars-Cov-2 and will play an essential role in the success of vaccination to end the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the UCL Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, we study the immune system to enhance immunity in patients with a weak immune response and to induce tolerance when the immune system overreacts and attacks healthy tissue.
Therapies to enhance immunity can protect patients against cancer and infections, and therapies to tune down an over-active immune system can be used to treat autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis.
As we celebrate the International Day of Immunology, I am excited by the prospect of taking this fantastic work to the next level when we make the imminent move to the new Pears Building. The Building, created as a result of a groundbreaking collaboration between the Royal Free Charity, UCL and the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, offers a new home for an expanded UCL Institute of Immunity and Transplantation and a remarkable chance to release the potential of immunity-based treatments.
The new facilities will provide the best possible infrastructure for research, training and clinical delivery to translate discoveries in the laboratory into therapies for patients. The Pears Building will house over 200 researchers in custom-built, well-resourced laboratories and will give patients access to research studies to better understand the causes of disease. We will bring together doctors, nurses, scientists and patients who are all focused on testing new medicines in clinical trials, which means the timeframe for bringing new treatments to patients will be substantially reduced.
The facilities and co-location with the Royal Free Hospital will enable an international centre of excellence for patient-focussed immunology research. We will develop new and more effective treatments for a range of chronic conditions and ultimately bring meaningful health improvements to London, the UK and worldwide.
Hans Stauss
Professor of Tumour Immunology
Director, Institute of Immunity & Transplantation
