Irina Udalova

Irina Udalova serves as Professor of Molecular Immunology at the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, part of the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS) at the University of Oxford. She leads the "Genomics of Inflammation" research group, focusing on transcriptional regulation in inflammatory diseases through integrated genomic and immunological approaches.

Her academic foundation includes a joint BSc/MSc in physics and mathematics and a PhD in molecular biology, both from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. This unique interdisciplinary background underpins her innovative research methodology.

Professor Udalova's work centers on transcriptional regulators controlling myeloid cell phenotypes in inflammation. Her laboratory combines functional genomics with classical immunology to dissect regulatory networks involving factors like IRF5 and type III interferons. Key discoveries include identifying IRF5 as a molecular switch for inflammatory macrophages and revealing anti-inflammatory properties of type III IFNs that specifically target neutrophil function. This research bridges fundamental mechanisms with translational applications in rheumatoid arthritis, obesity-related inflammation, and infectious diseases.

Recent publications demonstrate evolving expertise in single-cell and spatial analysis techniques, particularly in COVID-19 lung pathology and sepsis immunology. Her work consistently emphasizes neutrophil-macrophage crosstalk and microenvironment-specific immune responses across inflammatory conditions.

Through the University of Oxford, Professor Udalova actively supervises doctoral candidates in Cancer Sciences, Genomic Medicine and Statistics, and Interdisciplinary Biosciences programs. Her laboratory maintains strong collaborative networks and regularly recruits postdoctoral researchers for projects investigating transcriptional circuitry in inflammatory diseases.

The "Genomics of Inflammation" group operates at the cutting edge of immunogenomics, utilizing advanced techniques to map regulatory landscapes in myeloid cells. Current work focuses on validating novel therapeutic targets for chronic inflammatory conditions and deciphering context-dependent immune responses in tissue microenvironments.