Nadia Terrazzini is a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Immunology. Within PABS, she also acts as Associate Y2 Biology Course Leader and School Liaison Officer for BSMS Medical School.

Nadia trained at the National Institute for the Study and the Cure of Cancer in Milan (Italy) and has since worked on a variety of immunology research projects spanning from cancer gene therapy to DNA vaccines, to immunosenescence.

She is a member of the Centre for Stress and Age-Related Disease (STRAND), the Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Devices  and the Brighton and Sussex Cancer Research Network.

Nadia currently leads research on T cells responses to chronic CMV infections in older people,  in collaboration with Brighton and Sussex Medical School and is developing new lines of research on host immune responses to the microbiota in the skin.

Her main research interest is how infections and multi-microbial interactions can contribute to immunomodulation of host responses.

My professional field of expertise is Immunology, which I have been teaching for a number of years as module leader at all levels, from undergraduate to postgraduate students. I am very passionate about promoting the understanding of this topic to students, who often find it very complex. Enhancing accessibility of the subject is a priority in my work. To foster engagement, I try to introduce an element of fun in my teaching and I strive to keep my lectures student-centered and highly interactive, asking questions, making time for small group work, using online game-based learning platforms to lead revision tutorials.

My expertise in the field of immunology and its latest developments is reflected in my research-informed teaching. When relevant, to enhance students’ learning experience, I include examples of experimental data in my presentations. I was very pleased to be awarded the University of Brighton Excellence in Facilitating and Empowering Learning Award for two consecutive years, in 2017 and 2018.

I also supervise research projects at undergraduate and postgraduate level. Apart from teaching them research methods, values and best lab-work standards, I strive to foster students’ research ambitions. It is most rewarding when students enjoy working in the lab and develop a new passion for the research career!

My research interest is on the cross-talk between host and microbiota. I am currently investigating Candida albicans immunomodulation in the progression of inflammatory skin diseases and chronic wounds’ healing. I also collaborate with Professor F. Kern’s group in Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) on the study of immune responses to chronic Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in older people and its role in immune-ageing and disease.

I am leading research on Candida albicans immunomodulation of skin and mucosa responses and how this may affect the progression of inflammatory skin diseases and the healing of chronic wounds.