Home — MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine

Microscopy image showing green spots that are tingle body macrophages, with holes that are vacuoles full of apoptotic debris.

Study maps origin of macrophage population important for cellular ‘clear up’ in the immune system

Anjali Kusumbe receives Women in Cell Biology Early Career Medal

Founded in 2015 to mark the 50th anniversity of the founding of the British Society for Cell Biology, the award recognises outstanding early career biologists.

Scientists find genetic ‘marker’ linked to serious side-effects from skin cancer treatment

New research from the Fairfax Group has identified a genetic marker that could be used to predict a patient’s risk of developing serious side-effects when undergoing immunotherapy treatment for metastatic melanoma.

New WIMM podcast launches

'Inside WIMM' aims to highlight the people behind the science at the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine.

Linking Fundamental Research to Clinical Innovation

Leading research with the aim of improving human health.

Discover. Translate. Advance.

The MRC WIMM's core mission is to improve human health through the pursuit of fundamental research, the development of new technology, and the translation of discoveries to the clinic.

MRC WIMM Research Areas

Research at the MRC WIMM spans 5 core areas.

About Us

The MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine (MRC WIMM) at the University of Oxford was founded in 1989 by Sir David Weatherall to foster research in molecular and cell biology, with the aim of improving human health. Through our excellent basic and applied research we have become leaders in translational medicine. Our research has resulted in improved understanding, diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of human diseases.

MRC Human Immunology Unit

Human immunology and the development of treatments against infectious diseases, cancer, allergy and autoimmune disease.

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MRC Molecular Haematology Unit

Understanding how mature blood cells are normally made from stem cells and how this is perturbed in common blood disorders.

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Centre for Computational Biology

Using computational biology to help understand complex biological systems and combat a range of human diseases.

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Latest publications

Induction of the alternative lengthening of telomeres pathway by trapping of proteins on DNA.
Journal article

Rose AM. et al, (2023), Nucleic Acids Res
Providing recurrence risk counselling for parents after diagnosis of a serious genetic condition caused by an apparently de novo mutation in their child: a qualitative investigation of the PREGCARE strategy with UK clinical genetics practitioners.
Journal article

Kay AC. et al, (2023), J Med Genet
Trends and spatiotemporal patterns of arboviral spread in Mexico and Central America
Preprint

Gutierrez B. et al, (2023)

More Publications

Upcoming Seminars

Airway mucosal immunology: Metagenomics, MAVS and MAITS

Friday, 31 March 2023, 9.15am to 10.15am
Title TBC

Tuesday, 18 April 2023, 1pm to 2pm
Visualisation of Human Telomeric Complexes using Cryo-electron Microscopy

Thursday, 27 April 2023, 1pm to 2pm
Title TBC - Professor Bo Porse

Tuesday, 02 May 2023, 1pm to 2pm
Title TBC

Tuesday, 16 May 2023, 1pm to 2pm

More seminars

MRC WIMM Interactive Timeline

Accessible Version of Timeline

MRC WIMM Image Competition

CloseConnections- by Louise Johnson

A monolayer of primary human dermal lymphatic endothelial cells captured by confocal microscope. Cells were immunostained with antibodies again the junctional adhesion molecule CD31 (green) and transcription factor Prox-1 (red).

X marks the Spot- by Louise Johnson

Whole mount immunofluorescence confocal microscopy of a junction between endothelial cells of a lymphatic vessel within mouse dermis. Individual lymphatic endothelial cells overlap, with LYVE-1+ flaps (blue) anchored by VE-cadherin (red), “buttoning” the cells together.

A budding tail of a zebrafish embryo- by Martyna Lukoseviviute

A dorsal view of an optical section of a zebrafish tailbud. Hybridisation chain reaction method was used to simultaneously stain transcripts (in magenta and yellow) of transcription factors controlling neuromesodermal progenitor fates. Nuclei were stained with DAPI (in cyan).

Painting the bone marrow microenvironment -by Michela Colombo

The image shows a section of the human bone marrow from a myelofibrotic patient, analysed by imaging mass cytometry using the Hyperion Cytof recently acquired by the WIMM.

Rainbow tree branching out - by Salwa Lin

The image shows over 130k cells of human HSPCs from both healthy individuals and myelofibrosis patients. Each dot is a single cell and the colour refers to different lineages. Large expanded purple ‘tails’ are the cancer cells in myelofibrosis patients.

Langerhans Cells in healthy skin - by Randeep Singh

Langerhans cells (LC) are tissue-resident DCs found in the epidermal layer of the skin. CD1a is an MHC class - I like protein abundantly expressed on LCs. LCs have crucial roles in immune surveillance and homeostasis, however, lipid antigens presented by CD1a has been shown to amplify inflammatory responses in skin inflammation. The image shows CD1a staining on LCs in healthy skin – the dendrites protruding in the epidermal layer sensing for antigens

The image shows over 130k cells of human HSPCs from both healthy individuals and myelofibrosis patients. Each dot is a single cell and the colour refers to different lineages. Large expanded purple ‘tails’ are the cancer cells in myelofibrosis patients.

Myelofibrosis Analysis by Guanlin Wang

3D rendering of vascularised hydrogel - by Abdullah Khan

Generating artificial vasculature is an area of significant interest in the tissue engineering field. The production of branching networks supported by pericytes in a 3D mixed matrix hydrogel is imaged here.

Vascular Organoids- by Abdullah Khan

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) can be used to generate primitive ‘organoids’ which reproduce physiological structures, and allow us to more accurately study disease pathologies. Here, iPSCs are differentiated to mak a vascularised organoid which we use to study the effects of Covid19 on the microvasculature.

Networking- by Louise Johnson

Whole mount immunofluorescence confocal microscopy of mouse dermis, with lymphatic vessels stained with anti-LYVE-1 (blue) and blood vessels stained with anti-perlecan (red)

Zebrafish embryo- by Martyna Lukoseviviute

This is an image of the failed, but unexpectedly beautiful, experiment. A young zebrafish embryo (70% epiboly stage) was unspecifically stained for three different fluorescently labelled transcripts using the hybridisation chain reaction technique. I like this image because it resembles an image of a planet.

The Embryonic Rainbow- by David Grainger

Pseudo-colouring the overlapping domains of expression of three marker genes for paraxial, intermediate and lateral plate mesoderm in a transverse section of an eight-day old mouse embryo creates a rainbow effect. Each spot in the rainbow is a single mRNA molecule stained by hybridisation chain reaction.

Tail of tails- development of an early zebrafish tailbud- by Martyna Lukoseviviute

A view of an early zebrafish embryo, dorsal tailbud is located on the left. Hybridisation chain reaction method was used to simultaneously visualise multiple transcripts driving neuromesodermal progenitor fates. These progenitors will contribute to the zebrafish spinal cord and muscles.

Zebrafish embryo wrapped around its yolk - by Martyna Lukoseviviute

A ventral view of a 14 somite stage zebrafish embryo, head to tail. Hybridisation chain reaction was used to simultaneously stain transcripts of two soxtranscription factors involved in central nervous system development and a wnt gene coding for a signalling protein important for embryo patterning.

Scientific Wonderland 3- by Luyao Wang

WIMM is the scientific wonderland, gives me a fantastic scientific journey.

Brilliant Blue- by Martin Fellermeyer

Dissolving as little as 1 gram of the Coomassie Brilliant Blue Dye in 10% acetic acid and 40% methanol.

Stained Glass Segmentation by David Grainger

Over-segmentation of the posterior of an eight-day old mouse embryo using a watershed algorithm. Each region has been assigned a random colour creating a stained-glass effect.

Patterning the embryo by Martyna Lukoseviviute

A dorsal view of a zebrafish tailbud. Hybridisation chain reaction method was used to simultaneously stain transcripts of transcription factors controlling neuromesodermal progenitor and neural crest fates.

in vitro endothelial cells network - by Salwa Lin

Co-culture of tumour cells (red cells) on top of a layer of endothelial cells (image acquired using bright-field microscopy at WIMM)

At a Junction- by Louise Johnson

Whole mount immunofluorescence confocal microscopy of a lymphatic vessel within mouse dermis, with junctions between individual endothelial cells stained with for LYVE-1 (blue) and VE-cadherin (red), and a VE-cadherinhi LYVE-1- blood capillary in the background.

Zebrafish neural crest development -by Martyna Lukoseviviute

A lateral view of a 14 somite stage zebrafish embryo, head to tail. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to visualise neural crest cells expressing different transcription factors.

iPSC-MK's forming proplatelets - by Abdullah Khan

Megakaryocytes are the rarest and largest cells of the bone marrow, responsible for the generation of blood platelets by making unique, long beaded extensions called pro platelets. Here we use Megakaryocytes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells to look at the effects of genetic mutations on pro platelet formation.

$Super-resolution STED microscopy, performed at a custom-made system, versus confocal microscopy image. Human fibroblast cells transfected with the peroxisomal matrix marker GFP-SCP2 (blue) fixed and immunolabelled for peroxisomal receptor PEX5 (red) and mitochondria marker Tom20 (green). STED microscopy reveals details beyond the diffraction barrier, paving the way to new biological insights.$ © Silvia Galiani

Three-colour Confocal vs STED -by Silvia Galiani

Super-resolution STED microscopy, performed at a custom-made system, versus confocal microscopy image. Human fibroblast cells transfected with the peroxisomal matrix marker GFP-SCP2 (blue) fixed and immunolabelled for peroxisomal receptor PEX5 (red) and mitochondria marker Tom20 (green). STED microscopy reveals details beyond the diffraction barrier, paving the way to new biological insights.

Tale of tails- development of an early zebrafish tailbud - by Martyna Lukoseviviute

A view of an early zebrafish embryo dorsal tailbud. Hybridisation chain reaction method was used to simultaneously visualise multiple transcripts driving neuromesodermal progenitor fates. These progenitors will contribute to the zebrafish spinal cord and muscles.

Sugar-coated leukocytes- by Louise Johnson

Super-resolution Airyscan confocal imaging of a human dendritic cell, with CD44 (green) and the glycosaminoglycan hyaluronan (red) at the cell surface, detected by antibody and biotinylated hyaluronan binding probe VG-1 respectively, and nucleus counterstained with DAPI.

Biacore 8K- by Martin Fellermeyer

Shown is the inside of the Biacore 8K during a run to analyse the affinity of nanobodies.

Analysis of Nanobodies using Surface Plasmon Resonance by Martin Fellermeyer

Depicted are real-time binding curves of nanobodies analysed by SPR using the Biacore 8K. Parts of the machine are seen on the right.

Megakaryocytes on a 2D monolayer of endothelium -by Abdullah Khan

Megakaryocytes (green) are imaged on a monolayer of endothelial cells (magenta) with which they interact to generate platelets.

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Study maps origin of macrophage population important for cellular ‘clear up’ in the immune system

MRC Human Immunology Unit

MRC Molecular Haematology Unit

Centre for Computational Biology

Latest publications

Upcoming Seminars

Airway mucosal immunology: Metagenomics, MAVS and MAITS

Title TBC

Visualisation of Human Telomeric Complexes using Cryo-electron Microscopy

Title TBC - Professor Bo Porse

Title TBC

MRC WIMM Interactive Timeline

MRC WIMM Image Competition

CloseConnections- by Louise Johnson