Departmental news
SLS welcomes new MRC Career Development Fellow to explore how cells communicate with each other
Dr Iqbal Dulloo, currently a molecular cell biologist at the University of Oxford, has been awarded a prestigious five-year Medical Research Council (MRC) Career Development Award. He will join the University of Warwick’s School of Life Sciences in late September 2025 to launch his independent research group.
Dr Dulloo’s research explores how cells send and receive signals to maintain healthy function. When this communication breaks down, it can lead to diseases like cancer or neurodegenerative conditions. His recent discovery showed that an enzyme complex, previously thought to carry out a routine task, also plays a role in regulating gene activity by releasing a key messenger protein inside cells.
At Warwick, he will investigate how widespread this hidden signalling pathway is and how it may be exploited by viruses during infection.
Dr Dulloo said: “I am honoured to receive this award and delighted to be joining the University of Warwick. Understanding how cells communicate could unlock new ways to tackle disease. This fellowship will allow me to pursue fundamental questions in an exciting area of cell biology that remains under-explored but full of promise. I look forward to building a collaborative team and contributing to the vibrant scientific community at Warwick.”
Professor Miriam Gifford, Head of the School of Life Sciences, said: “We are delighted to welcome Dr Dulloo. His pioneering work will be a fantastic addition to our cell biology and host-pathogen research directions, and we are excited to support the next stage of his career.”
Funding for joint Warwick-Aston Engineering Biology research paves the way for enhanced sustainable manufacturing and drug discovery
A team of academics from The University of Warwick and Aston University has secured a £1.8m grant to engineer microbial cell factories to produce membrane proteins which will support future drug screening and sustainable chemical production.
Press Release (19 February 2024).
My placement year in antimicrobial research
Emilie Cummerson, a Biomedical Science with Placement Year student, has just completed a year-long placement in the Sagona Lab and the university’s spinout company Cytecom. She describes her experience in an article for the Microbiologist.
Read the article.
The enigma of embryonic development: how certain animals trim their genomes
New research by Professor Andre Pires da Silva is underway to decipher a fascinating biological puzzle—how some animals can naturally discard more than half of their genetic information during embryonic development. The new study is part of the BBSRC Pioneer Awards, which could revolutionise our understanding of the rules of life. Sixty two researchers across the UK, including Professor Pires da Silva, are to receive a share of £12 million to pursue visionary bioscience research.
Press Release (9 November 2023)
Researchers to benefit from £18 million investment in world-class frontier bioscience
Researchers at The University of Warwick are among four world-class teams receiving a share of £18 million to pursue transformational bioscience research programmes. The School of Life Sciences team will investigate the bacterial cell wall – which could help to develop new classes of antibiotics, tackling the global challenge of antibiotic resistance. The project is led by Professor David Roper in collaboration with Dr Séamus Holden, Professor Phill Stansfeld and Dr Stephen Cochrane (Queen's University Belfast).
Press Release (29 September 2023)
ENABLE workshop: Are the university learning environments as inclusive as we think?
On Friday 29 September 2023, the School of Life Sciences will be hosting a free workshop: "Are the university learning environments as inclusive as we think? An investigation from the awarding perspective".
Based on a thorough data analysis from recent years and first-hand practical experience, the workshop will identify existing reasons for lack of inclusivity and unbiased awarding in biological science and related degree streams.
The workshop participants, comprising academic leaders, teaching professionals and a diverse student community, will also provide on consensus recommendations on how to close existing awarding gaps for a more inclusive learning and teaching environment throughout the UK.
Consensus recommendations will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.
New discovery stops bacterial virus contamination
A new discovery by Dr Antonia Sagona and colleagues could help stop bacteria being contaminated with viruses, reducing disruption and decreasing costs in industry and research.
Press Release (18 April 2023)
Can super-speedy plant cells feed a growing population?
Dr Joe Mckenna has been awarded a BBSRC Discovery Fellowship of £535,000 to investigate actin – a natural molecule contained in plant cells – to see whether it can be engineered to move faster and so grow bigger plants with more biomass.
Press release (21 March 2023)
Four new academic positions available in the School of Life Sciences
We wish to appoint four excellent and ambitious early to mid-career principal investigators who are capable of developing innovative and original research programmes:
- 2 x Permanent positions focused on Host-virus Interactions
- 1 x Permanent position focused on Plant Virology
- 1 x Permanent position focused on Host Responses to Microbes
Our Technical Talent
Over the next few weeks the University is showcasing the vital roles our technical staff play in the world-class research and teaching at Warwick. The latest video features Georgia Lavender, Senior Teaching Lab Technician, from the SLS Teaching Lab.
Watch the video.