Chris Goodnow’s research explores how the body’s immune system learns to fight off infections without damaging its own tissues. A pioneering exponent of mouse molecular genetics, Chris has found new ways to reveal how an animal’s genes interact with exposure to its environment to produce unique characteristics.

Having uncovered the sequence of checkpoints that prevent immune cells from producing antibodies to ‘self’ tissues, he has opened the way to new treatments for autoimmune diseases such as lupus and type 1 diabetes. In his latest research, Chris is using high-throughput DNA sequencing to look for connections between autoimmune disease and cancers of the immune system known as lymphoma.

Chris’s links with industry include founding a new biotechnology company to develop his mouse molecular genetics platform. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the GSK Award for Research Excellence, and was elected a member of the US National Academy of Sciences in 2013.