The Dunn School, Oxford

2025 Pettenkofer Prize awarded to Teresa Thurston - Dunn School The award by the Pettenkofer Foundation recognised Teresa’s contributions to identifying how different bacterial effectors impact the outcome of infection.

Many congratulations Teresa!

Teresa Thurston was awarded the 2025 Pettenkofer Prize, recognising her contributions to identifying how different bacterial effectors impact the outcome of infection.

www.path.ox.ac.uk/news-article...

Congratulations Teresa!

Cover of Fusion

📣 The latest issue of our magazine Fusion is now out!

We explore how AI, improved SEM capabilities and new groups are contributing to the Dunn School’s research. Also keep an eye out for the literary talents of our staff and students.

Every issue can be found on our website: shorturl.at/lOGpH

Congratulations to @sarojsaurya.bsky.social, Highly Commended as a Sustainability Champion (staff category) in this year's Green Gown Awards! 💚

The Green Gown Awards recognise the exceptional sustainability initiatives being undertaken by universities and colleges in the UK and Ireland.

Strain displacement in microbiomes via ecological competition - Nature Microbiology Mathematical modelling and experimental tests reveal principles that govern displacement of a resident strain by an invader in microbial communities.

The latest paper by @erikbakkeren.bsky.social and the Foster group shows a potential way to engineer the microbiome by replacing problem strains with beneficial ones

Find out more @natmicrobiol.nature.com:

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

🧪 Interested in the early days of modern biology - a time before PCR or cloning - and how one generation of scientists transformed trial and error into the precision science we know today?

Check out this podcast by our former postdoc and now CEO, Jurgi Camblong, with Prof Proudfoot 🎧

🎃 We are ready for Halloween! 🎃

Girish Ram Mali

One of the ‘Cell Scientists to Watch’ from our #JCSciliaSI is Girish Ram Mali @dyneinassembly.bsky.social @dunnschool.bsky.social. In this interview we learn about Girish’s career path, scientific mentorship, and how science is a human endeavour.

journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/...

Great profile of @dunnschool.bsky.social group leader, Girish Mali...definitely a 'scientist to watch'!

As we look ahead to celebrating our Centenary, we are excited to launch our Memories Collection Project - an initiative to gather and preserve the stories, people, and moments that shaped the Dunn School over the past 100 years.

Find out more 👉 shorturl.at/suFAA

Members of the Cowley group participated in a @alzheimersresearchuk.org public engagement event in central Oxford recently!

Visitors (young and old) explored human brain cells grown in the lab and learnt about microglia and their potential role in neuroinflammation and Alzheimer’s disease.

Alexander Borodavka appointed Associate Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology - Dunn School Dr. Borodavka’s recruitment further strengthens the department’s research on viral biology and infection.

We are delighted to announce that Alex Borodavka will soon be joining us as Associate Professor!

The Borodavka group investigates RNA viruses, particularly rotaviruses, and how their genomes are segmented to ensure successful replication.

Find out more: www.path.ox.ac.uk/news-article...

Converting a kinase through molecular mimicry - Dunn School Published in EMBO Reports, a new study by the Thurston Group reveals how a small virulence protein from Salmonella called SteE, uses molecular mimicry to reprogramme host kinase specificity.

A new study by @thurstonlab.bsky.social reveals how a small virulence protein from Salmonella uses molecular mimicry to reprogramme host kinase specificity.

Find out more: www.path.ox.ac.uk/news-article...

An achievement helped greatly by the fantastic colleagues @dunnschool.bsky.social and for myself, the unwavering support and mentorship of @mjafreeman.bsky.social . Thanks everyone.

Dunn School postdocs start new PI positions - Dunn School Applications are now open to apply for our four year, fully-funded PhD programme in Molecular Cell Biology in Health and Disease.

Congratulations to the Dunn School postdocs starting their independent research groups across the UK, Germany and China 🥳

- Iqbal Dulloo (@iqbaldulloo.bsky.social)
- Marion Schuller (@schullerm.bsky.social)
- Yongxu Lu
- João Monteiro

www.path.ox.ac.uk/news-article...

Nuffield Department of Medicine scientists receive funding for children’s cancer vaccine development A new partnership between Alice’s Arc, the Centre for Immuno-Oncology in the Nuffield Department of Medicine and the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology will pioneer the development of a bespoke mRNA vaccine to improve treatment outcomes for children with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of soft tissue cancer.

NEWS: Oxford scientists receive funding for children’s cancer vaccine development

@ndm.ox.ac.uk, @dunnschool.bsky.social partnership with Alice's Arc will pioneer the development of a bespoke mRNA vaccine to improve treatment outcomes for children with rhabdomyosarcoma.

The Heatley lecture at @dunnschool.bsky.social was given by Prof Bonnie Basslet from Princeton on quorum sensing in bacteria but actually also across kingdoms. Truly inspirational. I find it mind boggling how much stuff bacteria chuck out & the sheer complexity of their inter & inter species comms 😳

What a privilege attending yesterday the 30th Norman Heatley lecture hosted by @dunnschool.bsky.social to listen in person to my favourite scientist and role model Bonnie Bassler talking about the wonders of #quorumsensing, the topic I started working on as a PhD student and future microbiologist!

Welcome to all our new students!

Our student association has done a fantastic job this week welcoming our new cohort of PhD students.

This year's mindful activity was tote bag painting. What do you think of their #sciart creations? 🖌️🎨🔬🧬

The ‘DART’ side of transcription: New role for NSUN2 in the RNA-dependent DNA damage response - Dunn School A recent study from the Gullerova lab led by Dr Alagia reveals an important mechanism by which cells repair DNA damage.

The "DART" side of transcription

A recent study from the Gullerova lab, led by Adele Adagia, highlights the importance of RNA modifications and how the NSUN2 protein is involved in the cellular response to DNA damage.

Find out more: www.path.ox.ac.uk/news-article...

Scientists at NDM's @oxcio.bsky.social and the @dunnschool.bsky.social are joining together to develop an #mRNAVaccine for children with a rare type of #cancer. Using funding from Alice's Arc, their aim is to improve #rhabdomyosarcoma treatment 💉

Learn more 👉 www.ndm.ox.ac.uk/news/ndm-sci...

New funding to support research on children’s cancer treatment - Dunn School The funding by Alice’s Arc will support a project co-led by Bass Hassan, to develop a new vaccine for Rhabdomyosarcoma.

Rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare and aggressive cancer that usually occurs in children but is also seen in teenagers and adults.

New funding by Alice's Arc will support our PI Bass Hassan, with colleagues in @ndm.ox.ac.uk, to develop a new vaccine for this disease.

www.path.ox.ac.uk/news-article...

Screenshot of the Dunn School alumni newsletter

This term's newsletter was recently sent out and included:

- The launch of our Memories Collection Project;
- The reveal of our Centenary logo;
- Exciting news of a 3-year funding boost for antimicrobial resistance research.

Social media card saying 'Join the Dunn School Alumni and Friends Network

By joining our Alumni & Friends Network (shorturl.at/sgltB) you will be part of a growing community of Dunners across the globe!

You will receive termly newsletters to stay up to date with our work and be invited to exclusive events to reconnect and strengthen your Dunn School connections.

A new view of @dunnschool.bsky.social

The Life and Mind Building of @ox.ac.uk has just opened and I got to see this lovely (albeit rather damp) new perspective on our original @dunnschool.bsky.social building

Switching on dynein motors to power cilia motion - Dunn School The Mali group works on the assembly mechanisms of ciliary dynein motors, and is supported by an MRC Career Development Fellowship

A new paper by the Mali group (@dyneinassembly.bsky.social) published in @natsmb.nature.com, reveals a mechanism for activating the dynein motors that power cilia motion.

Find out more: www.path.ox.ac.uk/news-article...

Happy to share the inaugural paper from the lab. We describe a molecular mechanism for the activation of outer dynein arm motors that power the vital motion of cilia.

Open access link below:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Here's a cool animated summary

The whole Molecular Mucosal Immunology group is very excited to be part of the BIIE! This solidifies the Oxford-Switzerland collaboration that defines my group and provides the support and environment we need to get our ideas out into the world! Those gut pathogens had better watch out 😉🧪🧫🔬

Professor Emma Slack forges link with Botnar Institute of Immune Engineering - Dunn School Professor Emma Slack, the Barclay-Williams Professor of Molecular Immunology at the Dunn School, has accepted a joint appointment at the newly founded Botnar Institute of Immune Engineering (BIIE).

Congratulations Emma!

@mucosalimmunology.bsky.social joint appointment with the Botnar Institute of Immune Engineering (BIIE) in Basel will link the Dunn School with a new team of world-leading bioengineers working towards novel therapies, vaccines and diagnostics.
www.path.ox.ac.uk/news-article...

Event poster with photograph of Bonnie Bassler

We are delighted to be hosting Prof Bonnie Bassler from Princeton University as this year’s Heatley Lecture speaker.

Join us in the MSTC Lecture Theatre on Friday 10 October at 16:30, followed by a drinks reception in the Dunn School Combination Room. No registration is required.