Three researchers from the School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences (SIMS) at King's College London have been awarded Wellcome Career Development Awards. The multi-million-pound grants will support Dr Charlotte Odendall, Dr Joseph Wanford and Dr Yin Wu to lead their eight-year research programmes focused on infection, immunity, and cancer biology.
The Wellcome Career Development Awards support early- to mid-career researchers to establish independent research careers and pursue bold, innovative work that has the potential to improve human health.
Dr Charlotte Odendall
Dr Charlotte Odendall's project will explore how the immune system determines the appropriate strength of response to infection, striking a balance between clearing pathogens and avoiding damage to the body's own tissues. Her research will focus on a molecule called CaMKII, traditionally associated with heart and brain function, which her lab has shown also plays a key role in immune signalling. The research will examine how CaMKII coordinates immune responses and how it may be targeted by pathogens to evade detection. The findings could help inform new approaches to treating infections and limiting harmful inflammation.
I'm incredibly grateful to our amazing colleagues who stuck with me through every round of preparation, and to my team over the years for their brilliant work and support. I'm deeply thankful to Wellcome for their continued funding and trust. I'm excited for the years ahead, for the freedom to pursue bold ideas and the opportunity to train the next generation of scientists. Let's get to work!
Dr Charlotte Odendall, Sir Henry Dale Fellow, School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences
Dr Joseph Wanford
Dr Joseph Wanford's award will support the study of Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp), a pathogen that is a major cause of antibiotic-resistant infections. His team recently discovered a genetic switch that controls production of the bacterium's protective sugar capsule, which helps it evade detection by the immune system. This research will explore how this switch enables Kp to transition from asymptomatic gut colonisation to severe bloodstream infections. The findings could inform the development of new therapies and vaccines to reduce reliance on antibiotics.
I'm immensely grateful to Wellcome for funding this project and for their investment in my vision. This wouldn't have been possible without the continuing support of many fantastic colleagues throughout SIMS - from mock interviews and reading drafts, to motivating discussions in the corridor. I'm very grateful I can continue to be a part of this community for years to come. I'm excited to spend the next 8 years doing great science, collaborating on new ideas, and giving the same support to my team that I've benefited from during my time at King's.
Dr Joseph Wanford, Research Fellow, School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences
Dr Yin Wu
Dr Yin Wu's award will support the study of gamma-delta T cells, a less well understood type of immune cell that may hold promise for improving cancer immunotherapy. While current treatments typically focus on alpha-beta T cells and benefit only a subset of patients, research suggests that gamma-delta T cells could help control cancers in even more patients. Dr Wu's team will use advanced 3D tumour models and high-resolution technologies to investigate how gamma-delta T cells recognise and kill cancer cells. The research will also explore potential therapeutic strategies to harness these cells in treating cancer more effectively.
I feel incredibly grateful for this generous support from Wellcome which will enable my lab to carry out this high-risk but hopefully high-reward discovery research. Importantly, it will allow us to continue our work here at King's College London and Guy's Hospital, which have been instrumental in supporting our research programme over the last five years. I feel over the moon and can't wait to get started.
Dr Yin Wu, Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Career Development Fellow & Honorary Consultant Medical Oncologist, School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences
Further information about the funding scheme is available on the Wellcome website.
