Immunology & Microbial Sciences MPhil/PhD, MD(Res) MPhil/PhD, MD(Res)

Overview

Our research focuses on understanding the immune system, and how it functions in times of health and disease.  Our clinical and discovery scientists collaborate widely to work on an inspiring breadth of subjects employing methodologies that span atomic level dissection of molecular and cell function, through to the development of innovative new therapies and clinical trials.  This multi-disciplinary approach enables us to tackle cutting-edge questions in areas of biology and medicine such as asthma, allergy, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, organ rejection, vaccination, and a range of bacterial and viral infections including HIV and Ebola virus.  

Our School is deeply committed to educating the next generations of scientists, researchers and clinicians.  High-quality teaching and training are delivered through a raft of research-inspired programmes for medical and biomedical science undergraduates, masters and PhD students, clinical trainees and post-doctoral fellows.

Our academic programmes of research-inspired teaching and clinical practice are embedded across our three departments:

• Department of Infectious Diseases
• Department of Inflammation Biology
• Peter Gorer Department of Immunology

• REF2014: Overall, ranked 3^rd in Clinical Medicine
• Research income: £16 m per year.
• Current number of academic staff: 66 principal investigators, all 66 PhD supervisors.
• Current number of graduate research students: 91
• Current number of graduate research assistants: 30

• Recent publications include:

        Epithelia Use Butyrophilin-like Molecules to Shape Organ-Specific γδ T Cell Compartments.

Di Marco Barros R, Roberts NA, Dart RJ, Vantourout P, Jandke A, Nussbaumer O, Deban L, Cipolat S, Hart R, Iannitto ML, Laing A, Spencer-Dene B, East P, Gibbons D, Irving PM, Pereira P, Steinhoff U, Hayday A.

Cell. 2016 167:203-218

Collectin-11 detects stress-induced L-fucose pattern to trigger renal epithelial injury.

Farrar CA, Tran D, Li K, Wu W, Peng Q, Schwaeble W, Zhou W, Sacks SH.

J Clin Invest. 2016 126:1911-25

 An Atlas of Human Regulatory T Helper-like Cells Reveals Features of Th2-like Tregs that Support a Tumorigenic Environment.

Halim L, Romano M, McGregor R, Correa I, Pavlidis P, Grageda N, Hoong SJ, Yuksel M, Jassem W, Hannen RF, Ong M, Mckinney O, Hayee B, Karagiannis SN, Powell N, Lechler RI, Nova-Lamperti E, Lombardi G.

Cell Rep. 2017 20:757-770

 The interferon-inducible isoform of NCOA7 inhibits endosome-mediated viral entry.

Doyle T, Moncorgé O, Bonaventure B, Pollpeter D, Lussignol M, Tauziet M, Apolonia L, Catanese MT, Goujon C, Malim MH.

Nat Microbiol. 2018 3:1369-1376

 The cholesterol biosynthesis pathway regulates IL-10 expression in human Th1 cells.

Perucha E, Melchiotti R, Bibby JA, Wu W, Frederiksen KS, Roberts CA, Hall Z, LeFriec G, Robertson KA, Lavender P, Gerwien JG, Taams LS, Griffin JL, de Rinaldis E, van Baarsen LGM, Kemper C, Ghazal P, Cope AP.

Nat Commun. 2019 10:498

        Current research projects: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/sims/research-impact/research-impact.aspx

• Partner organisations: e.g.

• Cancer Research UK
• Medical Research Council
• MRC/Asthma UK Centre for Allergic Mechanisms in Asthma
• Centre for Inflammation Biology and Cancer Immunology

To study at King's, it is essential that you can communicate effectively in English and are able to do so in an academic environment. You are usually required to provide certification of your competence in English before starting your studies.

• register on the King's Apply Portal
• complete our online application form