MRC Toxicology Unit |

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.

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Professor Anne Willis OBE

News

ESTIV Early Career Award granted to Dr. Timothy Allen

20 January 2020

The MRC Toxicology Unit is pleased to announce that Dr Timothy Allen has been granted the first European Society of Toxicology In Vitro (ESTIV) Early Career Award. More information about the ESTIV Early Career Award can be found here: https://www.estiv.org/estiv-early-career-award-granted-to-dr-timothy-allen/

Air pollution from brake dust may have same harmful effects on immune cells as diesel exhaust

20 January 2020

Metal particles from the abrasion of brake pads - up to a fifth of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution at roadsides - may cause inflammation and reduce the ability of immune cells to kill bacteria, a new study has found, similarly to particles derived from diesel exhaust. The scientists, primarily funded by the...

PhD Studentships Available

15 January 2020

The MRC Toxicology Unit is now advertising for four PhD Studenstships commencing in October 2020. The four projects are: Toxicity-induced phase separation of transcriptional regulators: mechanisms and cellular consequences - Supervisor: Dr Ritwick Sawarkar Single Cell assessment of adaptive immune clonal expansion and...

New exciting paper from the Willis Lab

18 December 2019

We are pleased to announce a new paper from the Willis lab, which made front cover of science signaling, shows the common chemotherapy doxorubicin can promote the migration of cancer cells through phosphorylation of a translation factor. Please see the links to the article published in Science Signaling below: Summary...

Welcome to our new group leaders

22 October 2019

The Unit is delighted to announce the appointment of three new group leaders: Mike Chapman, Ritwick Sawarkar and Kiran Patil. Mike Chapman Mike’s programme will focus on the toxicity of CAR-T cell therapy. The lab will be combining genomic and proteomic approaches with more traditional ‘wet lab’ techniques to dissect the...

Welcome to Dr Mathew Van de Pette

18 September 2019

The Unit is delighted to announce that Dr Mathew Van de Pette has joined on 1st September as Programme Leader Track. Mat's programme is aimed at understanding the mechanisms by which environmental stressors induce changes to epigentic pathways in utero.