Dr. Fiona Powrie

Biography

Fiona Powrie is a Professor of Musculoskeletal Sciences and Director of the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology. She leads the Mucosal Immunology research group, focusing on understanding the interaction between intestinal microbiota and the host immune system. Her research aims to clarify the mutualistic relationships that break down in inflammatory bowel disease. Fiona has identified the functional role of regulatory T cells in maintaining intestinal homeostasis and has illuminated the development and mechanisms of action of immune responses in the gut. She has shown that both adaptive and innate immune mechanisms contribute to intestinal inflammation, particularly highlighting the IL-23 pathway as a critical factor in the pathogenesis of chronic intestinal inflammation. Currently, her work seeks to translate findings from model systems to clinical applications for patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease. Fiona has received numerous accolades, including the Ita Askonas Award from the European Federation of Immunological Societies for her contributions to immunology in Europe, and the Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine in 2012. She was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2011, EMBO in 2013, and the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2014, along with becoming an International Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences in 2020. Additionally, she joined the Wellcome Trust Board of Governors in 2018 and was appointed Deputy Chair in 2022.

Research Interests