Inaugural lecture: Professor Andrew Macdonald, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology
- Date: Friday 31 January 2025, 15:00 – 17:00
- Location: Roger Stevens LT 22 (10M.22)
- Cost: Free
Join us on 31 January for the upcoming Inaugural Lecture of Andrew Macdonald, Professor of Tumour Virology in the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology.
An inaugural lecture is a significant milestone in any academic’s career, recognising their promotion to Professor. It also offers an opportunity for our new professorial colleagues to showcase their work and innovative research with a broad audience, including members of the public, family, friends, and colleagues.
About this lecture
In this lecture, Professor Andrew Macdonald will take us on an exciting journey through his scientific career – one that started in Leeds and brought him back again.
In his talk, Andrew will reveal the contribution of virus infection to the global cancer burden, showing us how cross-disciplinary work to understand virus biology and pathogenesis can uncover new therapies to treat cancers. Along the way, he will highlight how inspiring collaborators and colleagues were essential for his research success.
About our speaker
After post-doctoral training at the world-leading MRC Protein Phosphorylation Unit in Dundee, Andrew was awarded a five-year fellowship to establish his own group in Leeds in 2006 studying the biology of DNA tumour viruses. He achieved tenure in 2011, was promoted to Associate Professor in 2013 and full Professor in 2020. He was Head of the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology from 2020 to 2023 and is now the Pro-Dean for Research and Innovation for the Faculty of Biological Sciences.
Andrew works across discplines, and with fundamental scientists, clincians and industry, to generate key insights into the mechanisms of virus replication, persistence and disease with the overarching goal of finding new treatments. Using this approach also uncovers new avenues of biology and to learn more about the ways in which cells function in the host.
Passionate about a positive research culture, his group’s research takes place in a well-funded, supportive environment in which staff and students are given every opportunity to grow as scientists, to present and publish their data and are guided in their careers, whatever their ultimate career destinations.