MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine
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imm.ox.ac.uk
MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine
@imm.ox.ac.uk
The MRC WIMM is a research institute at the University of Oxford with 5 core research areas: rare diseases, haematology, immunology and infection, stem cells and developmental biology and cancer biology.

www.imm.ox.ac.uk
Back in December, we shared that the #MRCWIMM #Sustainability Team received an award at the #LEAF Oxford Forum 🌱 🧪

The full story is now live on our website, with more on the people and work behind this recognition.

Read more 👇
@medsci.ox.ac.uk @ox.ac.uk #ResearchCulture #WIMMHighlights
MRC WIMM Sustainability Team recognised at LEAF Oxford Forum
Congratulations to the Sustainability Committee and Working Group, who received an award for ‘Community and Culture’ at the LEAF Oxford Forum 2025.
www.imm.ox.ac.uk
January 13, 2026 at 1:18 PM
#ScientistSpotlight 🧪

This week we’re featuring Hans Ng, a postdoctoral researcher in the Anne Goriely Lab at the #MRCWIMM.

@sciencehans.bsky.social @agoriely.bsky.social @medsci.ox.ac.uk @rdm.ox.ac.uk
January 13, 2026 at 10:09 AM
Reposted by MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine
Out in print this week @bloodjournal.bsky.social . Very proud of this collaborative work with Prof Karadimitris @imperialimmuno.bsky.social. Thanks to @cancerresearchuk.org and CwC_UK for funding this work. #InfantALL @paediatrics.ox.ac.uk @imm.ox.ac.uk
Off-the-shelf bispecific CD133-CD19 CAR-iNKT cells eradicate CAR antigen–high and –low medullary and leptomeningeal KMT2Ar ALL. Read in Blood: buff.ly/HIlsUq7 #ALL #BloodJournal
January 12, 2026 at 6:09 PM
#MethodMonday 🧪

So… how does #MassCytometry actually work? 🤔

1. Cells are stained with antibodies tagged to rare heavy metals
2. Each cell is vaporised and ionised in a plasma
3. Ions are separated by their mass and detected in a time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer
January 12, 2026 at 10:26 AM
Reposted by MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine
🚨Calling all UK-based biomedical postdocs!🚨If you’re curious about code or have questions about the world of data science, join our peer mentoring scheme to connect with your peers across the data divide forms.office.com/e/UsRFm2F0a7 (closes 02/03/26).
January 9, 2026 at 9:00 AM
#WIMMReads
🧪 A new article on cancer inequalities shows why inclusive research is essential to beat cancer for everyone.

Written by Cancer Research UK experts including #MRCWIMM Director KJ Patel.

#CancerResearch #CancerInequalities @cancerresearchuk.org @rdm.ox.ac.uk @medsci.ox.ac.uk @ox.ac.uk 🧬🔬
Cancer inequalities: Empowering inclusive cancer research
Experts from Cancer Research UK share how through world-class research, we can better understand and tackle the impacts of cancer inequalities
www.openaccessgovernment.org
January 8, 2026 at 10:03 AM
#WIMMinFocus
A sea glass at sunset?

Nope, it's an epoxy model of the human nicotinic acetylcholine receptor based on the resting state structure (PDB: 9GU0), photographed on Mordialloc Beach 🧪

Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor on the Beach by Anna Li
@ndcnoxford.bsky.social @medsci.ox.ac.uk
January 7, 2026 at 9:48 AM
Reposted by MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine
Congratulations Arundhati on passing your DPhil viva with no corrections to your thesis 🎉🍾. So proud of you! Many thanks to examiners Profs Chakraverty and Vormoor. @oxfordcancer.bsky.social @paediatrics.ox.ac.uk @imm.ox.ac.uk
January 5, 2026 at 5:34 PM
#ScientistSpotlight
This week we’re introducing Benjamin McMaster, a DPhil student at Hashem Koohy's Group here at the #MRCWIMM.

@rdm.ox.ac.uk @medsci.ox.ac.uk @benjamin-mcmaster.bsky.social
January 6, 2026 at 9:16 AM
#MethodMonday From now on, each week, we’ll highlight a different research method used at the #MRCWIMM, breaking down how it works and why it’s important. 🧪

Here we go!

Ever wondered how scientists can measure dozens of proteins on a single cell? #MassCytometry makes this possible!
January 5, 2026 at 11:10 AM
And we are back!

Fresh into the new year and straight into #WorldIntrovertDay.
To our colleagues at the #MRCWIMM who may not love our cameras but still tolerate us kindly, we see you and we appreciate you.

And as promised, we will not be tagging our colleague in this post. 💙🧪

#CameraShy
January 2, 2026 at 9:46 AM
Season's Greetings from all of us here at the MRC WIMM!

From molecules to twinkling light,
the WIMM is glowing bright tonight.
Happy holidays to all — we’re now signing out,
back on 2 January, refreshed throughout.
December 23, 2025 at 4:00 PM
#WIMMReads: A new #review in Nature Reviews Immunology by Hal Drakesmith and Joe N Frost explores how #iron shapes immune responses in infection inflammation and cancer.
Read more 👇

#Immunology #Immunology #IronMetabolism #Infection
@rdm.ox.ac.uk @drakesmith-lab.bsky.social @medsci.ox.ac.uk
Iron and the immune system - Nature Reviews Immunology
Iron is crucial for cellular metabolism, but its availability varies greatly within and between individuals and populations. This Review highlights how iron regulates innate and adaptive cellular and ...
www.nature.com
December 18, 2025 at 9:28 AM
We’re incredibly proud of our Sustainability Team for being recognised at the LEAF Oxford Forum yesterday.

#WIMMHighlights #WIMMCommunity #LEAFOxForum
@ox.ac.uk @medsci.ox.ac.uk
December 17, 2025 at 11:58 AM
#WIMMinFocus
Looks like a distant planet in deep space.
It is actually the edge of a cell #nucleus expanded in gel to reveal #chromatin in blue and sites of #DNA replication in red.

The Nuclear Sponge by George Lister
2025 WIMM Image Competition
#SciComm
@rdm.ox.ac.uk @medsci.ox.ac.uk
December 17, 2025 at 10:10 AM
#ScientistSpotlight
This week we’re introducing Anna Li, a postdoctoral researcher in the Yin Dong Lab at the #MRCWIMM.

@ndcnoxford.bsky.social @medsci.ox.ac.uk

#WIMMSpotlight #WIMMCommunity #StructuralBiology #CryoEM #IonChannels #Neuroscience

Photo credit: Susan Maxwell
December 16, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Great to be featured on the University of Oxford’s Pulse today. It’s fantastic to see this piece highlighting Hal Drakesmith and the Drakesmith Lab at the #MRCWIMM, working with colleagues from Oxford Earth Sciences.
www.ox.ac.uk/pulse/health... @ox.ac.uk
Tackling iron deficiency
More than 1.2 billion people worldwide are so iron-deficient that they develop iron-deficiency anaemia. The consequences include fatigue, dizziness, hair loss, greater risk of pregnancy complications,...
www.ox.ac.uk
December 15, 2025 at 4:08 PM
#WIMMReads: Led by Andrew Wilkie and Stephen Twigg, this study shows how optical genome mapping can help reveal the true structure of complex DNA duplications in genetic disease. 🧪

#Genomics #GeneticDiagnosis #StructuralVariants

@rdm.ox.ac.uk @medsci.ox.ac.uk
Exploring the size limits of Bionano optical genome mapping to resolve alternative structures of linked interspersed chromosomal duplications - Genome Medicine
Genome Medicine - Determining the correct structure of large, interspersed duplications and related complex genomic rearrangements in genetic disease is critical when establishing causal roles and...
link.springer.com
December 11, 2025 at 10:41 AM
#WIMMinFocus
This swirling scene shows fibrotic and non-fibrotic granuloma in sarcoidosis lung.

Each colour marks a cell type, revealing fibroblasts, pro fibrotic macrophages, CD four T cells and alveolar epithelium.

#SciComm @ndm.ox.ac.uk @medsci.ox.ac.uk
December 10, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Huge congratulations to Holly Russell who has been awarded a fellowship from the Lee Placito Medical Fund.

@rdm.ox.ac.uk @medsci.ox.ac.uk @ox.ac.uk

www.imm.ox.ac.uk/news/holly-r...
Holly Russell receives Lee Placito Research Fellowship
Congratulations to Holly Russell who has been awarded a fellowship from the Lee Placito Medical Fund.
www.imm.ox.ac.uk
December 9, 2025 at 1:57 PM
#ScientistSpotlight
This week we’re featuring Naeema Mehmood, a #DPhil student in the De Bruijn Group at the MRC WIMM.

@rdm.ox.ac.uk @medsci.ox.ac.uk
December 9, 2025 at 9:48 AM
#WIMMReads The ISEH Junior Faculty Committee highlights why every PI can benefit from a Laboratory Handbook to support team culture, data practice & wellbeing.

With contribution from WIMM’s Professor Bethan Psaila, this resource reflects the WIMM commitment to supportive research environments.
👇
Building a transparent and functional laboratory culture: guidelines for creating a Laboratory Handbook for principal investigators
www.sciencedirect.com
December 4, 2025 at 9:49 AM
Final countdown to the MRC WIMM Festive Decoration Contest!
The judging panel had a very difficult decision to make…
Stay tuned to see who will take the festive crown!✨

youtu.be/BDOm1PUJe7s
Final Countdown!
YouTube video by MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine
youtu.be
December 3, 2025 at 2:53 PM
#WIMMinFocus
May look like a dino egg swallowed a disco ball.
But it's actually an intestinal #organoid glowing in cyan, magenta and yellow to show #nuclei, E cadherin and Zonula Occludens one.

Disco Intestinal Organoid by Dimitrios Ioannidis
#SciArt runner up, 2025 #WIMMImageCompetition.

#SciComm
December 3, 2025 at 9:34 AM