HEFEI, Jan 11 — European immunologist Andrew Macpherson has taken up a full-time position at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in Hefei, a move seen as strengthening China’s ambitions in life sciences, according to the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
Macpherson, widely recognised for his work in gastrointestinal mucosal immunity, joins USTC from Switzerland, where he was a professor of immunology at the University of Bern and director of the gastroenterology department at Inselspital Hospital.
His recruitment follows a visiting professorship at USTC in 2024, during which he lectured students and guided research in his field, SCMP reported.
The immunologist, who won the Per Brandtzaeg Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award in 2022, has more than 300 peer-reviewed publications, including landmark studies in Nature and Science.
His research has reshaped understanding of the gut microbiota and immune regulation, showing how symbiotic microbes in the intestines help maintain health while inducing antibody responses like immunoglobulin A (IgA), the report said.
Macpherson’s career spans Europe and North America.
He earned first-class honours in medical and natural sciences from the University of Cambridge in 1979, followed by a PhD in 1983 and a medical degree in 1985.
He later held senior roles at King’s College London, the University of Zurich, McMaster University in Canada, and the University of Bern.
According to SC that China’s USTC has emerged as a global hub for biomedical research, and attracting Macpherson reflects the country’s strategy to strengthen its position in life sciences innovation.
