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Welcome to the MRC Toxicology Unit

The Medical Research Council (MRC) Toxicology Unit is a leading International Research Institute within the School of Biological Sciences, University of Cambridge. The Unit delivers mechanistic toxicology research, pursuing hypothesis-driven toxicological questions with a particular focus on the study of the causal links between exposure to endogenous and exogenous toxicants, molecular initiating events and adverse outcome pathways. The Unit's overall aims are to carry out pioneering research which leads to improved health and to train and mentor the next generation of toxicologists.

 

Professor Anne Willis is Director of the MRC Toxicology Unit.  Anne was appointed as a member of the European Molecular Biology Organisation in 2015, and in 2017 awarded an OBE for services to biomedical sciences and supporting the careers of women scientists.

 

     Professor Anne Willis OBE

News

Researchers discover how loss of tumour suppressor PDCD4 may aid cancer spread

9 February 2026

Scientists have found that the loss of the PDCD4 protein affects cell adhesion – how cells interact and attach with neighbouring cells and structures – which could make it easier for cancer cells to detach and metastasise. PDCD4 (Programmed Cell Death Protein 4) is a well-documented tumour suppressor – a protein that helps...

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Kiran Patil is one of the Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers for 2025

Kiran Patil recognised for highly cited publications

5 December 2025

Professor Kiran Patil, MRC Investigator at the MRC Toxicology Unit has been given the Clarivate Web of Science Highly Cited Award for 2025 . The highly cited program celebrates individuals who have demonstrated a significant influence on their field of research and the wider scientific community. The researchers selected...

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Tractor spraying pesticides on crops.

Pesticides and other common chemical pollutants are toxic to our ‘good’ gut bacteria

26 November 2025

Researchers in the Patil Lab have used a lab-based screening to identify over 150 common industrial chemicals, from pesticides to flame retardants, that have a toxic effect on bacteria found in the healthy human gut microbiome. We are exposed to many different chemicals in our modern world including pesticides and...

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