- Professor Magdalena Plebanski will present the annual Aston University Distinguished Lecture on 30 April 2025
- ‘Cancer Diagnostics and Therapies: Harnessing Multidisciplinary Innovation' will look at advances in cancer treatment
- Professor Plebanski is widely recognised for her groundbreaking contributions to vaccine development, immunotherapies, and disease diagnostics
Professor Magdalena Plebanski, a globally renowned immunologist and bioengineer, will deliver Aston University’s 2025 Annual Distinguished Lecture.
The lecture, 'Cancer Diagnostics and Therapies: Harnessing Multidisciplinary Innovation', will be delivered at 18:00 BST on 30 April 2025 at Conference Aston on the University campus.
Professor Plebanski is head of the Translational Immunology and Nanotechnology theme, and head of the Cancer, Ageing, and Vaccines Laboratory at the School of Health and Biomedical Sciences at RMIT University in Australia. She is widely recognised for her groundbreaking contributions to vaccine development, immunotherapies, and disease diagnostics, and has more than 40 patents in 10 patent families.
Her current research focus is on ovarian cancer, a disease with extremely low survival rates. She is seeking to identify blood-based biomarkers, allowing ovarian cancer to be detected with a simple blood test, one of which is now driving a large-scale Phase II clinical trial. In collaboration with RMIT chemists, Professor Plebanski is developing innovative gold-based immunotherapies to treat the disease.
Beyond her scientific achievements, Professor Plebanski champions interdisciplinary initiatives tackling critical health challenges, from mental health programs to the Pathways to Healthy Ageing initiative, underscoring her commitment to translating cutting-edge research into meaningful real-world impact.
Professor Plebanski said:
“In a changing and challenging world, it is easy to forget cancer still kills one in three people. It is exciting to come to Aston University, known for its dynamic culture, embracing innovation, and meet its inspiring researchers and share our work on cancer and immunology at RMIT University. We focus on ovarian cancer, a highly lethal malignancy where mortality has not changed significantly in decades. Looking for exciting collaborations to deepen research, and to accelerate our research being used to directly help patients.”
Professor Aleks Subic, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Aston University, said:
“Professor Magdalena Plebanski is a globally recognised leader in immunology and bioengineering whose pioneering research continues to shape the future of medical science. I am honoured that she has accepted my invitation to deliver this year’s Aston Distinguished Lecture. Her insights will not only provide a compelling window into the breakthroughs she has led but will also inspire and inform the cutting-edge research underway at Aston University. I have no doubt her lecture will be both thought-provoking and deeply enriching for the academic community and healthcare professionals.”
Visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/aston-university-annual-distinguished-lecture-2025-tickets-1300985926929 for more information and tickets to the free-of-charge event.
- Notes to editors
About Aston University
For over 130 years, Aston University has been making our world a better place through education, research and innovation. Our history is intertwined with the remarkable city of Birmingham, once the heartland of the Industrial Revolution and now the thriving base for an innovation ecosystem of global significance, which Aston is co-creating.
Our vision is to be a leading university for science, technology and enterprise, measured by the positive transformational impact we achieve for our people, students, businesses and the communities we serve.
Aston focuses on high-quality, exploitable research that has an impact on society through medical breakthroughs, advancements in engineering, policy and practice in government, and the strategies and performance of business.
The university offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes, as well as continuing professional development solutions.
Thanks to its focus on delivering excellent outcomes for students, Aston University's reputation continues to grow. It was recognised as the Daily Mail University of the Year for Student Success 2025, is second in England for social mobility (2023 HEPI Social Mobility Index), and is top 20 for graduate salaries (2024 Longitudinal Education Outcomes).
Aston University is now defining its place in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (and beyond) within a rapidly changing world.
For media inquiries in relation to this release, contact Helen Tunnicliffe, Press and Communications Manager, on(+44) 7827 090240 or email:h.tunnicliffe@aston.ac.uk.
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