James Hewitson

James Hewitson is a Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences at the Department of Biology, University of York. His research focuses on the mammalian immune response to parasitic worm infections, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with funding from the MRC, Academy of Medical Sciences, and GCRF. He investigates mechanisms of protective immunity and immune evasion by helminths like Schistosoma mansoni and Heligmosomoides polygyrus.

• Teaching: Module organizer for "The Immune System" (Stage 2) and lecturer on parasitic infections (Stage 3 Pathogens).
• Research Themes: Macrophage plasticity, cytokine regulation, helminth-bacterial co-infection dynamics, and immunomodulatory mechanisms.
• Techniques: Flow cytometry, cell culture, fluorescent microscopy, parasitology models, and bioinformatics.

His recent work highlights immunomodulatory proteins from helminths that manipulate TGF-β and Th2 pathways, and the role of non-coding RNAs (e.g., Malat1) in immune cell regulation. Collaborations include studies on visceral leishmaniasis and hemostatic dysfunction in schistosomiasis.