Ed Lavelle

Professor Ed Lavelle is a leading immunologist at Trinity College Dublin (TCD), serving as Course Coordinator for Biochemistry. With a career spanning over 17 years at TCD and prior roles at the University of Nottingham, he specializes in vaccine adjuvant development and biomaterials-immune interactions.

• Head of School of Biochemistry and Immunology (2017-2020)
• Supervised 21 PhD students to completion
• Key collaborator in AMBER and CRANN research centers

Research Focus: Elucidating adjuvant mechanisms (particulates, alum, chitosan) and their role in mucosal vaccines and cancer immunotherapy. His work bridges immunology, nanotechnology, and material science to optimize immune responses.

Key Contributions: Discovery of inflammasome activation by nanoparticles, development of novel cancer vaccine adjuvants (AilseVax startup), and insights into IL-1 family cytokine regulation. Authored >179 peer-reviewed publications and multiple patents.

• Awards: Royal Irish Academy membership, FTCD, ECI2024 Presidency
• Leadership: Organized 111+ conferences, served on 15+ scientific advisory boards, and consulted for Merck/GSK.