We are thrilled to announce that our PhD 3rd-year student Yan has been awarded runner-up for best talk at the 2026 PhD symposium. She delivered a brilliant presentation of her project looking into mregDCs in breast cancer. Congratulations Yan!

Part of the team flew to sunny Wroclaw last week to attend this year’s edition of the PORT4Health Oncology Conference. Both Sheeba and Helen were invited as speakers and did a fantastic job!

Members of the team were honoured to take part in His Majesty The King’s visit to the Innovation Hub at Guy’s Cancer Centre, held as part of the celebrations marking the 300th anniversary of Guy’s Hospital. The visit provided an opportunity to showcase the innovative cancer research being conducted across King’s College London and its clinical partners. During the event, His Majesty met with researchers and staff working to advance cancer diagnosis, treatment, and patient care. His genuine interest in both the scientific research and the people behind it created a welcoming and engaging atmosphere throughout the visit.

Prof. Sheeba Irshad attended the 4th PACRI International Annual Meeting as part of Team SAMBAI, joining researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and patient advocates from across Africa and beyond. Held under the theme “Bridging Cancer Science and Medicine in Africa: Driving Innovation and Equity for Transformative Impact,” the meeting showcased the growing momentum behind collaborative approaches to improving cancer outcomes across the continent.

Prof. Sheeba Irshad was invited to speak at the 2025 edition of the LGCW as part of a rapid-fire panel discussion on ethnic diversity in cancer research and clinical trials. The session highlighted the persistent barriers that many underrepresented groups face in accessing research opportunities and equitable cancer care, while also exploring strategies to make research more inclusive.

KCL’s best PI has been promoted to Professor!

Professor Irshad delivered a fantastic inaugural talk titled “Encounters that endure”, she reflected on moments and relationships that influenced her journey as a clinician scientist from early lessons in care and compassion to the collaborations and discoveries that continue to shape her work.

Congratulations to Professor Richard Vile for his recent appointment as the Joan Reece Chair in Immuno-oncology!

The Joan Reece Immuno-oncology Research Programme will focus on advancing ground-breaking work in harnessing the body’s own defences to better understand and treast cancer. This appointment will accelerate the pioneering work done at King’s throughout the years, paving the way for more effective treatments aiming to provide better and gentler care to our cancer patients.

Dr Paul R. Buckley, Dr Helen Kakkassery and Thanussuyah Alaguthurai, three members of the Tumour Immunology Group at King’s College London, have been nominated to the Future Leaders Working Group of Cancer Grand Challenges. Representing Team SAMBAI, they will help shape the Future Leaders Programme, which nurtures the next generation of cancer researchers.

Congratulations to Helen Kakkassery, PhD student in our lab for wining first prize at the 2025 King’s College London School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences Postgraduate Symposium!

Cancer is a disease that affects every community however the treatment awareness and access is below average for many ethnic minority patients. As researchers it’s our responsibility to deliver healthcare to those in need.

Team SAMBAI, co-led by Dr. Sheeba Irshad from King’s College London, has been awarded major funding through Cancer Grand Challenges to address one of cancer research’s most urgent frontiers—equity