Centre for Inflammation Biology & Cancer Immunology formally launches
On Wednesday 31 October 2018, the Centre for Inflammation Biology & Cancer Immunology (CIBCI) was officially launched with a celebratory showcase event.
President & Principal Professor Ed Byrne and Professor Leonie Taams unveiling the plaque symbolising the opening for the Centre for Inflammation Biology & Cancer Immunology
CIBCI is an interdisciplinary research hub that brings together basic and clinical scientists from the School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences and other King’s researchers working on inflammation biology and cancer immunology. The guiding mission of the Centre is to enhance the fundamental and applied knowledge of inflammation biology, tumour immunobiology, and their bearing upon each other.
The launch included a tour of the facilities, a demonstration of some of the research that takes place at the Centre and a scientific showcase titled ‘Cancer and inflammatory disease - from the clinic to the bench and back again’ with talks from some of the principal investigators of CIBCI.
The Centre was officially opened by King’s President & Principal Professor Edward Byrne AC who unveiled a plaque with Professor Leonie Taams, Director of CIBCI and Head of Department of Inflammation Biology. Attendees included colleagues from King’s and King’s Health Partners, representatives from funding bodies, charities, pharmaceutical industry and biotech companies, as well as patients.
Post-doctoral researcher Michael Ridley describing some of the research of CIBCI to delegates during tours of the facilities
Of the research carried out by CIBCI, Professor Taams commented:
“This is a highly exciting time to work in inflammation biology and cancer immunology. Increasingly, we can translate insights from basic scientific studies of immune cells into potential therapies that may transform the lives of people living with inflammatory diseases or cancer”.
Staff and students of CIBCI, invited guests and Professor Richard Trembath, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, and Professor Robert Lechler, Vice-Principal (Health)
CIBCI strives to be an internationally prominent centre of excellence and evolved from the Centre for Molecular and Cellular Biology of Inflammation (CMCBI, est. 2009). The Centre is supported by King’s College London, Versus Arthritis (formally Arthritis Research UK), Guy’s & St Thomas’ Charity and Cancer Research UK.
CIBCI is a key strategic component of the CRUK King’s Health Partners Cancer Centre and Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre awards, and the King’s Health Partners Clinical Academic Grouping in Genetics, Rheumatology, Infection, Immunology, and Dermatology (GRIID).