Search results (15)
« Back to NewsArthritis origins may begin before birth, study finds
12 Aug, 2026
Researchers at the Kennedy Institute have discovered that some joints may be more susceptible to inflammatory arthritis before birth, offering new insight into why rheumatoid arthritis attacks particular joints while sparing others.
Oxford researchers awarded ARIA funding to develop transformative anti-viral therapies
25 Jun, 2026
Three innovative research projects aimed at transforming how we protect against respiratory viruses, led by teams at the University of Oxford, have secured funding through the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA).
Natural compound may help boost vaccine responses in older adults
23 Jun, 2026
Researchers from the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS) have found that a naturally occurring compound called spermidine may help improve vaccine responses in some older adults by reducing signs of immune system ageing.
Researchers uncover hidden mechanism behind a major cancer therapy target
9 Jun, 2026
Kennedy researchers have revealed how one of the immune system's most important regulatory pathways operates at the earliest moments of T cell activation, providing new insights that could help improve cancer immunotherapy.
Major MRC funding for Irina Udalova to unravel neutrophil behaviour across immune pathologies
28 May, 2026
Prof Irina Udalova has received a programme grant of £2.7M from the Medical Research Council (MRC) to investigate how neutrophils – a type of white blood cell that forms the body’s first line of defence – adapt their behaviour to tissue requirements and contribute to immune diseases, leading to the development of a new class of neutrophil-targeted therapeutics.
Researchers find clue to how Sjögren’s disease persists
1 May, 2026
A new study has found that a protein TRIM21 linked to Sjögren’s disease may be fuelling the condition in an unexpected way. Researchers at the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology have discovered that during a specific type of cell death, TRIM21 is released and combines with antibodies to overstimulate the immune system, potentially maintaining the symptoms of Sjögren’s disease.
New study reveals how blood cell production responds to parasite infection
11 Mar, 2026
Research led by the Nerlov Group in the MRC Molecular Haematology Unit provides the first detailed explanation of how parasite-fighting immune cells are selectively increased following infection.
Anchoring a key immune molecule boosts T cell responses
11 Mar, 2026
Researchers at the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology have found that physically resisting the formation of an immunological synapse actually promotes a stronger immune response. The findings could help explain how immune responses become weakened in cancer and chronic infection and inform the design of more effective vaccines.
Kennedy scientists join world-leading researchers in ‘pivotal’ study to help arthritis patients to live drug free
27 Jan, 2026
The prospect of long-lasting drug-free remission for children and adults living with inflammatory arthritis is a step closer to becoming a reality, thanks to a new collaboration.
What determines the fate of a T cell?
20 Jan, 2026
Research led by Dr Mariana Borsa at the Kennedy Institute has found that a cellular housekeeping mechanism called autophagy plays a major role in ensuring that T cells generate diverse progenies upon cell division. The findings, published in Nature Cell Biology, could help boost vaccine response in older adults.
Kennedy researchers contribute to UK-wide AI and bioscience training initiative
18 Dec, 2025
Together with a group of Oxford researchers, Mark Coles, Professor of Immunology at the Kennedy Institute, will co-lead the Enabling Next-generation AI for a Bioscience-Led Economy (ENAIBLE) initiative.
Oxford and GSK launch Experimental Medicine Collaboration
18 Nov, 2025
GSK invests £10 million over five years to establish the Experimental Medicine Collaboration with the University of Oxford.
Shaping immunity - the secrets behind the shape of neutrophils
14 Nov, 2025
Researchers at the Kennedy Institute have provided the most comprehensive overview to date of how the distinctive segmented nucleus of neutrophils influences their function in health and disease.
New Microbiome Innovation Network to drive UK Bioscience Research
5 Nov, 2025
Researchers from the Kennedy Institute are part of a UK-wide consortium that has been awarded a £644K BBSRC Network Grant to establish the Microbiome Innovation Network (Microbiome-Net).
Prof Calliope Dendrou, alongside 2025 Nobel Prize Winner, aims to ‘stop the clock’ on chronic inflammation
9 Oct, 2025
Teaming up with scientists and clinician-scientists at the University of Birmingham, and with 2025 Nobel Prize winner Professor Shimon Sakaguchi from Osaka University, Professor Calliope Dendrou from the Kennedy Institute will work on a major research programme to transform the treatment of autoimmune diseases by halting chronic inflammation at its source.