The Dunn School Immunology Symposium supported by the CIU Trust

Rhodes House

Date: Tuesday 13 July, 2027

Time: 09:00 – 17:00 (talks), 17:00-20:00 (reception and dinner)

Location: Rhodes House, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RG

Open to: Dunn School staff, students, alumni, friends and collaborators

Registration: DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION is 20th November 2026

The Dunn School Immunology Symposium supported by the CIU Trust – Fill in form

(Please note submitting this form will not automatically assign you a place. You will be notified by 1st December 2026 if you are successful)

Contact: Melissa Wright, event organiser: dunnschoolimmunology@path.ox.ac.uk 

Collage of CIU Social Events

In 2027, the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology will celebrate its centenary, marking 100 years of scientific discovery and innovation. While the School is internationally renowned for the development of penicillin and cephalosporins, its contributions to immunology have also been profound and enduring.

Over the past century, researchers at the Dunn School have made fundamental advances in our understanding of the immune system, including pioneering work on lymphocyte migration, immune recognition, and immunological tolerance. These discoveries have shaped modern immunology and continue to influence research and clinical practice worldwide.

A particularly important chapter in this history was the establishment of the Medical Research Council Cellular Immunology Unit (CIU), which was based at the Dunn School from 1964 to 1999. During this period, CIU scientists played a leading role in identifying and characterising many of the surface proteins expressed on lymphocytes, providing critical insights into immune cell function and communication.

The Dunn School Centenary Immunology Symposium, sponsored by the CIU Trust, will bring together past and present members of the Dunn School immunology community, alongside leading researchers from across the field. The symposium will celebrate the School’s rich scientific heritage, highlight its lasting impact on immunology, and foster new connections and collaborations to ensure that this tradition of excellence continues well into the future.

Rhodes House Dining Hall

Programme
09:00-09:30 Opening Remarks

Host-pathogen interactions (Chair: Prof Siamon Gordon, University of Oxford )
09:30-10:00 Prof Gordon Brown, University of Exeter
10:00-10:30 Prof Emma Slack, University of Oxford

10:30-11:00 Coffee

Immune cell function (Chair: Prof Debbie Fowell, Cornell University )
11:00-11:30 Prof Gillian Griffiths, Yale University
11:30-12:00 Prof Doreen Cantrell, University of Dundee
12:00-12:30 Prof Dame Fiona Powrie, University of Oxford

12:30-14:00 Lunch

Immune Recognition (Chair: Prof Andrew McKnight, Sanofi Ltd)
14:00-14:30 Prof Simon Davis, University of Oxford
14:30-15:00 Prof Gavin Wright, University of York
15:00-15:30 Prof Timothy Springer, Harvard Medical School

15:30-16:00 Coffee

Immunotherapy (Chair: Prof Geoff Hale, mAbSolve Ltd)
16:00-16:30 Dr Jon Sedgwick, Abbvie Ltd
16:30-17:00 Dr Namir Hassan, Zelluna Ltd
17:00-17:30 Prof Irv Weissman, Stanford University

17:30-18:30 Drinks Reception

18:30-21:00 Formal Dinner

Confirmed speakers:

Prof Timothy Springer, elected member of NAS, NAM, AAAS, Latham Family Professor of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School

Prof Emma Slack,  Barclay – Williams Professor of Immunology, University of Oxford

Prof Gordon Brown, FRS, FMedsSci, Director of MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter

Prof Dame Fiona Powrie, DBE, FRS, FMedSci, Director of the Kennedy Centre, University of Oxford

Prof Gillian Griffiths, FRS, Anthony N. Brady Professor of Cell Biology, Chair of Cell Biology, Yale University

Prof Gavin Wright, FMedSci, Chair in Microbial Biochemistry, University of York

Prof Simon Davis, Professor of Molecular Immunology, University of Oxford

Dr Jon Sedgewick, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Discovery Research, Abbvie Ltd

Dr Namir Hassan, CEO, Zelluna Ltd

Prof Doreen Cantrell, CBE, FRS, FRSE, FMedSci, Professor of Cellular Immunology, University of Dundee

Prof Irv Weissmann, Virginia & D.K. Ludwig Professor of Clinical Investigation in Cancer Research, Professor of Pathology, and of Developmental Biology, Stanford University

REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS 20th NOVEMBER 2026

To register your interest, please fill in the below form (please note submitting this form will not automatically assign you place. You will be notified by 1st December if you are successful):

The Dunn School Immunology Symposium supported by the CIU Trust – Fill in form

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