Centre for Global Surgery at Stellenbosch University awarded two major grants
The Centre for Global Surgery at Stellenbosch University is a multidisciplinary hub dedicated to improving equitable access to surgical care in low- and middle-income countries. Through research, education, and advocacy, we collaborate with local and international partners to strengthen health systems, train the next generation of global surgery leaders, and develop context-specific solutions to address surgical disparities—especially in underserved communities.
Recently, we were awarded two major grants
1. Genomic Profiling of Colorectal Cancer in South Africa
Funder: National Research Foundation (NRF)
Duration: 2025–2027
Lead Investigator: Dr. Nelisiwe Mkize
Aim: This groundbreaking project investigates unique genetic mutations in colorectal cancer across four provinces. It aims to inform personalized and effective treatment strategies while enhancing local cancer genomics capacity.
2. RURAL_SURG: Strengthening Surgical Access in Rural Africa
Funder: Academy of Medical Sciences (UK) – Network Strengthening Grant
Duration: 2025 – 2026
Awarded To:
• Lead Investigator: Prof. Kathryn Chu (Stellenbosch University)
• UK Co-Investigator: Prof. Justine Davies (University of Birmingham)
Value: £197,283.86
Aim: This collaborative effort will develop community-based strategies to improve access to surgical care across rural Africa through multi-country stakeholder engagement.
Stay Connected
🌐 Webpage: https://tinyurl.com/CentreforGlobalSurgery
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/suglobalsurgery
🐦 Twitter: @SU_GlobalSurg
🎓 Apply Now: Master of Global Surgery (2026 Intake)
Global surgery aims to improve surgical access worldwide. Join our research Master’s degree focused on practical skills and publication-based research to strengthen surgical systems.
Application Deadlines
• South African students: 30 September 2025
• International students: 31 August 2025
REINVENT: Abundance of key immune cells may be influenced by oestrogen and XX chromosomes
Women have a higher proportion of key immune cells between puberty and menopause, which may be linked to the sex hormone oestrogen and explain why they are less susceptible to certain infectious diseases than men, according to a new study led by researchers at UCL.
Learn more about this on the UCL News website here: UCL NEWS
Read just the article posting here: PDF Article.
UCL Institute of Immunity and Transplantation: Engineered hiPSC-derived Renal Organoids as a Drug Screening Platform for Diabetic Nephropathy
Dr Ashleigh Boyd, Associate Professor in Stem Cell Immunobiology & Regenerative Medicine at UCL’s Division of Surgery & Interventional Sc
ience and the Institute of Immunity and Transplantation (IIT), has been awarded £100,000 from the Royal Free Charity. Her team is developing an advanced human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived 3D renal organoid culture system to investigate diabetic nephropathy (DN), the leading cause of renal failure.
This chronic inflammatory disease is characterised by progressive fibrosis and a lack of curative treatments. The project aims to create a platform to screen fibrosis-reversing drugs and explore the immunological basis of DN, addressing this major clinical need.
Collaborators include Professor David Abraham (UCL Research Department of Inflammation and Rare Diseases), Professor Ben Caplin (Royal Free London Department of Nephrology), and Professor Paolo De Coppi (Nuffield Chair in Paediatric Surgery, UCL-GOSH).
UCL Institute of Immunity and Transplantation: Dissecting NF-κB and Cell Death Signalling in T Cell Immunity
Professor Ben Seddon has recently been awarded a Medical Research Council (MRC) Programme Grant. This funding will support research aimed at dissecting how NF-κB signalling and cell death pathways regulate T cell function during viral infection. The project will also explore novel mechanisms of cell death regulation within the immune system.
UCL Institute of Immunity and Transplantation: Autoantibodies in Long-Term Care Residents and Chronic Hepatitis B
Supported by a recently awarded a UCL-BCA fund, Dr Doug Fink is collaborating with the Ring Lab (Fred Hutch, Seattle) to apply REAP (Rapid Extracellular Antigen Profiling) technology to the UCL VIVALDI cohort – residents of UK long-term care facilities. The project will investigate auto-antibody profiles against immune molecules and their associations with SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination outcomes.
🔗 Postdoctoral Opportunity: Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Fink Lab
https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DMH975/post-doctoral-research-fellow-fink-lab
📄 Recent Publication:
Fink* et al., JHEP Reports (2025).
https://www.jhep-reports.eu/article/S2589-5559(25)00059-X/fulltext
The team reports elevated auto-antibodies targeting all three interferon subtypes in people with chronic HBV, particularly following exogenous IFN therapy. Higher auto-antibody levels correlated with increased hepatitis B surface antigen, suggesting dysregulated antiviral immunity.
UCL Institute of Immunity and Transplantation: Fully funded PhD opportunity in Immunometabolism – Mauri Lab, UCL
We are pleased to highlight an exciting Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)-funded PhD studentship in the Mauri Lab at UCL, commencing in September 2025. Offered as part of the UNION Doctoral Network, this fully funded position combines cutting-edge immunology and metabolism research with an international training experience.
The project will investigate B cell metabolism across tissue microenvironments in the context of age-related diseases, including cancer. In additi
on
to training at UCL, the position includes two rotations in leading European laboratories, offering a truly interdisciplinary and global perspective.
The Mauri lab provides advanced expertise in wet-lab techniques and bioinformatics, including single-cell analysis.
Interested candidates are encouraged to send their CV to Zara Baig: zara.baig.16@ucl.ac.uk
Please note: Eligibility is limited to candidates who have not lived or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the UK for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before their recruitment.
UCL Institute of Immunity and Transplantation: Timing Immunity: Investigating How the Body Clock Shapes Antiviral Responses in the Liver
Dr Alan Zhuang has been awarded the Rosetrees Trust Seedcorn Award to investigate the role of circadian rhythms in regulating liver-specific im
munity to Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection. This interdisciplinary study brings together circadian biology and immunology to better understand time-of-day–dependent immune responses in the liver.
By integrating cellular and animal models with clinical samples, the research team aims to uncover how circadian clocks influence immune cell function, antigen presentation, and antiviral control – paving the way for innovative chronotherapeutic approaches. The award will also support clinical collaborations to strengthen translational potential and provides a valuable opportunity to explore how circadian biology could inform new strategies for managing chronic HBV infection.
Yale Human and Translational Immunology Program: April 2025 Immunology Update – Yale – HTI Program
Vikki Abrahams
Has published a paper entitled “Buprenorphine induces human fetal membrane sterile inflammation” of interest to the FOCIS community.
Lynn T, Kelleher ME, Georges HM, McCauley EM, Logan RW, Yonkers KA, Abrahams VM. Buprenorphine Induces Human Fetal Membrane Sterile Inflammation. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 Nov 22:2024.11.22.624850. doi: 10.1101/2024.11.22.624850. Update in: J Reprod Immunol. 2025 Mar;168:104445. doi: 10.1016/j.jri.2025.104445. PMID: 39605446; PMCID: PMC11601656.
News article about publication and implications can be found here.
Carrie Lucas
Serves as the Henry Kunkel Society Editor for a new journal of interest:
Journal of Human Immunity (JHI)
Open access journal of the International Alliance for Primary Immunodeficiency Societies (IAPIDS)! Led by past HKS president, Editor-in-Chief Jean-Laurent Casanova, MD, PhD, and published by Rockefeller University Press, JHI will present innovative research on inborn errors of immunity to a global audience of scientists and clinicians.
https://rupress.org/jhi
Matthew Vesely
Matthew D. Vesely, MD, PhD (Assistant Professor of Dermatology) was awarded a 2025 Young Physician-Scientist Award by The American Society for Clinical Investigation. ASCI announcement
Benaroya Research Institute (BRI) Immunology Symposium: New Horizons in Immunity and Disease
Benaroya Research Institute (BRI) is bringing together leading voices from the local and national immunology research community for its second annual Immunology Symposium: New Horizons in Immunity and Disease on Monday, April 28, 2025. The event includes a full day of exciting presentations addressing some of the most important topics in immunology, as well as opportunities for collaboration and discussion among attendees.
This year’s speakers include:
Keynote speaker: Marc Jenkins, PhD, Regents and Distinguished McKnight University Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School
Nancy Allbritton, MD, PhD, Frank and Julie Jungers Dean, College of Engineering, and professor, Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington
Lawrence Fong, MD, Bezos Distinguished Scholar, director, Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center, and professor, Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
S. Alice Long, PhD, associate member, BRI Center for Translational Immunology
A full list of speakers can be found at benaroyaresearch.org/symposium. For those in the Seattle area who are interested in attending, please register in advance online. This event is an in-person opportunity only; we look forward to sharing what we learn from speakers and attendees after the symposium. If you have questions, please contact BRI’s marketing and communications team via email at communications@benaroyaresearch.org.