Professor Michael Dustin has been awarded the Trust’s first Statutory Chair position as the Kennedy Trust Chair in Molecular Immunology at the Kennedy Institute, Oxford.

Professor Dustin joined the Kennedy Institute in 2013 as Head of Immunology with a Principal Research Fellowship jointly funded by the Kennedy Trust and the Wellcome Trust. His research has been recognized with numerous awards, including the 2000 Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering and the 2012 DART-NYU Biotechnology Achievement Award. In 2021, Professor Dustin was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of immunology.

The new Statutory Chair appointment recognises Professor 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. Commenting on the announcement Professor Dustin 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, Director of the Kennedy Institute added, “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.”

Read more about Professor Michael Dustin’s research here.