Professor Michael Dustin has been appointed as the Kennedy Trust Chair in Molecular Immunology, and will be a professorial fellow of Brasenose College. The new statutory Chair was created by a generous donation from the Kennedy Trust in recognition of 10 successful years of the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology in Oxford the importance of molecular immunology in the Institute's future. The appointment recognises Prof. Dustin's cutting-edge use of super-resolution imaging and systems biology approaches to better understand the role of the immunological synapse in inflammatory disease and his contributions to a vibrant research culture.
The post aims to transform the understanding of the body's immune response to allow for more targeted and effective diagnostic and treatment methods for inflammatory and autoimmune conditions.
Commenting on the announcement Professor Dustin, Kennedy Trust Professorship of Molecular Immunology in the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology and NDORMS, said: "I'm honoured to be the first holder of the Kennedy Trust Chair in Molecular Immunology and the first statutory Professor in the Medical Sciences at Brasenose College. These are both amazing opportunities!"
Dr Stephen Simpson, CEO at the Kennedy Trust said: ''Professor Dustin is an international leader on immune cell imaging and his appointment to this Chair through the Trust's co-investment is an exciting next step in the growth of world-class science of the Kennedy Institute."
Professor Dame Fiona Powrie said: "Professor Michael Dustin was one of the first new faculty to be recruited to the Kennedy a decade ago. His work has transformed our understanding of immune cell activation and we are delighted to be able to recognise his scientific contributions and his inspirational leadership of future generations of scientists with this new Chair.