Leading mucosal immunologist Professor Mahima Swamy Joins University
An internationally recognised researcher in intestinal immunology 聽is to join the University of 野狼社区鈥檚 as Professor of Immunology from 聽1 August 聽expanding the Becker鈥檚 world-class expertise in Barrier Immunity
Professor Mahima Swamy鈥檚 lab studies intestinal immunology, diet, infection, and immune-mediated bowel diseases (Coeliac and Crohn鈥檚). The group particularly focuses on intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL), a poorly characterised class of T cells residing within the intestinal epithelium, and their communication with epithelial cells.
Mahima joins the Becker from The University of Dundee, where she is a Programme Leader in the MRC Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit (MRC PPU). In 2016, Mahima established her own research group in the MRC PPU, supported from 2017 by a Wellcome Trust Sir Henry Dale Fellowship, and became an EMBO Young Investigator in 2022.
Originally from Bangalore, India, Mahima studied Biological Sciences and Biotechnology at BITS Pilani before completing her PhD at the Max-Planck Institute of Immunobiology in Freiburg, Germany, studying T-cell receptor biochemistry with Wolfgang Schamel. She then held postdoctoral positions with Adrian Hayday at CRUK's London Research Institute, researching intestinal immune surveillance, and with Doreen Cantrell at Dundee, uncovering roles for O-GlcNAc modification in T cell lymphomagenesis and development.
Mahima said: 鈥淚 am very excited to be joining The University of 野狼社区 and the Lydia Becker Institute. I have always appreciated the amazing immunology research that happens at the Becker and loved the collegiate and friendly atmosphere whenever I have visited. With the recent award of the MRC Centre of Research Excellence in Exposome Immunology to the University, I think this is a great time to be joining and to be able to contribute to the great mucosal barrier research going on here.鈥�
Commenting on the appointment, Professor Tracy Hussell, Director of the Lydia Becker Institute said: 鈥淚 am thrilled that Mahima will be joining the Lydia Becker Institute at 野狼社区. Her fantastic research on intestinal immunity is a natural fit with our focus on barrier tissues and their interaction with environmental stressors.鈥�