The Wellcome Career Development Awards provide long-term support for emerging research leaders who are addressing important questions in human health. The scheme funds innovative and ambitious projects with the potential to transform understanding of how the human body functions and responds to disease.
Abs Khan's work sits at the intersection of stem cell biology and immunology, with a focus on how the immune system changes as we age. As people grow older, their immune systems become less effective, leaving them more susceptible to infections, cancers and inflammatory conditions. Although this decline in immune function is well recognised, the underlying biological mechanisms remain poorly understood — largely due to the lack of experimental models that accurately reflect the complexity of human ageing.
In this Wellcome-funded project, Abs and his team will develop advanced human model systems that mimic the bone marrow — the central hub of blood and immune cell production — and other key organs involved in immunity. These innovative models will allow researchers to study age-related changes in immune cell generation in a way that is not possible using animal models or overly simplified cell systems.
By exploring how bone marrow ageing affects immune function, the team aims to uncover the mechanisms that drive immune decline and to determine whether aspects of immune ageing can be mitigated. The findings could open new avenues for improving health in later life.
Abs said:
I’m incredibly lucky to have been so well supported through the journey of pulling together and winning this award. I’m excited to be able to continue and expand my research programme over the next eight years in a thriving research environment with a positive culture and real focus on integrity and excellence.