Our people
Management team
Director
Judi’s research focuses on the role of macrophages in type 2 immune responses, particularly in the context of helminth infections. In addition to their protective anti-parasite properties, she has helped uncover important functions for macrophages in tissue repair and extracellular matrix remodelling. Judi applies single cell and spatial omics approaches to reveal how these pathways function in infection, allergy, and fibrosis. She is an integral member of the Manchester Cell Matrix Centre, and has also worked to improve career development structures for technical staff at The University of Manchester.
Co-Director
Fiona is Director of the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology (KIR), an institute at Oxford University which unites discovery science and clinical translation in chronic inflammatory disease, and also leads the Microbiome Cluster within the MRC National Mouse Genetic Network (NMGN). Fiona is particularly interested in the interaction between the intestinal microbiota and the host immune system, and how and why this mutualistic relationship breaks down in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Her work has defined gastrointestinal immune regulatory pathways and identified IL-23 as a therapeutic target in IBD.
Training and Development Lead
Tracy heads the Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, is President of the British Society for Immunology, and is an expert in lung immunology and infection. Tracy investigates why the immune system in the lung can become imbalanced following infections or allergies, and how the arising inflammation can be treated. She innovates in developing PhD programmes, for example creating ‘silo-switches’ for PhD students to undertake placements in other sectors. Tracy has also developed a programme providing research opportunities to those from underprivileged demographics, including those from the care system.
Research Culture and EDI Lead
Sheena’s research focuses on the interaction between barrier sites and external factors like pollution, and how this shapes our immune systems. She uses a variety of model systems to answer fundamental questions about the initiation and shaping of immunity. Her multidisciplinary research combines computational, fundamental immunology and microbiology approaches. Sheena leads several patient and public involvement initiatives, for example working closely with the Manchester community to create the award-winning Ardwick clean air walking route.
Translation and Knowledge Exchange Lead
Mark’s research uses interdisciplinary approaches, from spatial single cell biology to multi-scale computational modelling, to identify and accelerate the development of therapies for immune-mediated inflammatory disease. He has established several spin-out companies, including LightOx and Mestag Therapeutics. He leads on industrial strategy and entrepreneurship at the Kennedy Institute, to accelerate the translation of science into improved treatments for patients.
Environmental Science Lead
Gordon is particularly interested in the composition and properties of aerosol particles and their atmospheric fate and impacts. He develops pollution challenge models in systems ranging from cells to preclinical models to healthy humans.
Data Management Lead
Brian is Professor of Practice in Data Management and Research Informatics. He has a particular interest in the development of novel data capture and visualisation methods for structural and chemical biology data. Brian manages the MRC CoRE’s data infrastructure.
Centre Operations Manager
Bruce has extensive experience in strategic research management and business development. Bruce has a PhD in molecular biology, and worked as a senior scientist in industry prior to joining The University of Manchester.
Our Research Pillar leads
Data Science
Magnus is an expert in multimodal modelling and Director of the Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at The University of Manchester. His research group works on the interpretation of large datasets by building predictive models of biological systems using computer algorithms.
Calli investigates shared molecular circuits and cellular mechanisms across tissues and across immune-mediated diseases. Her group uses high-resolution genomic profiling technologies to help elucidate cross-disease pathophysiology, aiming to identify ‘hubs’ that may be targeted therapeutically via drug repositioning approaches, with a special emphasis on cytokine signalling pathways.
Jethro’s research uses multi-omic and computational approaches to identify the molecular basis of host-gut microbiome interactions and understand their impact on health and disease. Jethro is the Deputy Director for the Oxford Centre for Microbiome Studies, and an Advisory Board Member of the Innovate UK Microbiome Innovation Network.
Mechanistic Barrier Immunology
Jo is interested in how mucosal barrier sites, such as the gut and oral mucosa, are able to maintain populations of helpful microbes but can also attack pathogenic invaders. Jo also studies the mechanisms through which this balance may be disrupted, leading to inflammation.
Matt focuses on understanding the innate immune pathways that act to regulate inflammation at mucosal barrier tissue sites. An improved understanding of these immune pathways will lead to the identification of novel therapeutic targets for chronic human inflammatory diseases in which tissue homeostasis is dysregulated, such as IBD and asthma.
Irina’s research focuses on myeloid cell biology. By combining state-of-the art functional genomic approaches with classical molecular and cellular immunology, her group is unravelling the transcriptional circuitry that controls myeloid cell phenotypes in inflammation. They aim to discover regulatory factors that control common and microenvironment-specific states of myeloid cells and validate their expression and function in models of inflammation.
Experimental Medicine
Jacky is a clinician, a Professor of Respiratory Medicine at The University of Manchester, and the Director of the NIHR Manchester Clinical Research Facility. She leads multiple asthma/allergy and cough studies including ManARTs, MAAS and RADicA. Jacky is interested in the immune mechanisms underlying cough in respiratory diseases and the testing of novel therapies.
Holm is a clinician and Professor of Paediatric Gastroenterology. Holm studies IBD genetics and functional genomics, to understand how immune balance can become disrupted, leading to inflammatory bowel disease.
Jack is a clinician and a Professor of Gastroenterology, focusing on translational IBD research. Jack uses multi-omic technologies to study phenotype, disease progression and drug responses, to improve personalisation of care. He also researches epigenomics of IBD in children and adults.