Graham Wright

Dr Graham Wright is an Associate Professor in Immunology and Associate Dean of Research and Innovation at the School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University. He holds a BSc (Hons) in Immunology from the University of Glasgow and a PhD from University College London, focusing on cell therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. His research interests span autoimmunity, gene therapies, and cellular therapies, with collaborations in liver transplantation, vascular healing, and bone disease. He has received grants from bodies like the Chief Scientist Office and Wellcome Trust, and his work includes developing regulatory T-cell therapies for autoimmune diseases. Wright is actively involved in academic leadership, including founding the Early Career Lecturers in Bioscience Forum, and has contributed to teaching innovations emphasizing experiential learning. His awards include a Scottish Knowledge Exchange Award nomination and Best Presentation at the Arthritis Research UK conference.

Education:

• BSc (Hons) Immunology, University of Glasgow
• PhD in Immunology, University College London (2009)

Research Interests: Wright’s work centers on manipulating the immune system to treat diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Key areas include adoptive T-cell therapy, antigen-specific regulatory T-cell engineering, and immune modulation in transplantation. He collaborates on projects involving liver transplant outcomes, vascular healing, and bone turnover in aging.

Grants and Projects:

• £229,020 from the Chief Scientist Office (2021–2024) for regulatory T-cell therapy in rheumatoid arthritis
• £30,000 ENU Development Trust grant (2018–2022) for osteoarthritis research with Guangzhou Medical University
• Wellcome Trust Pathfinder Award (2015) for multiple sclerosis TCR therapy

Awards:

• Scottish Knowledge Exchange Award Nomination (2019)
• Best Presentation, Arthritis Research UK Fellows Conference

Teaching and Leadership: Wright chairs conferences on bioscience education and promotes early-career academic development. He has published on fostering student engagement and authored articles on academic challenges, including a 2020 The Biologist piece on navigating lecturing roles.