Junior Research Fellow honoured with Early Career Research Excellence Award

Dr Elena Mitsi, Associate Professor of Infection and Mucosal Immunity and Junior Research Fellow at Kellogg, has been awarded the Early Career Research Excellence Award by the British Society for Immunology (BSI).

The award was presented at the BSI Immunology Awards Ceremony celebrating the remarkable achievements of individuals and teams shaping the future of immunology. Ten award winners were recognised for their exceptional contributions to the field. Elena was recognised for her outstanding contributions to infectious disease immunology and vaccine development.

Reflecting on the award, Dr Mitsi said:

“I was delighted to win the BSI Early Career Research Excellence Award. For me, it is a meaningful recognition of my efforts and contributions to understanding infectious disease immunology and advancing vaccine development.”

Elena’s research explores host-pathogen interactions, with a particular focus on the role of respiratory mucosal cellular reservoirs in immunity and protection against infection, as well as the transmission dynamics of respiratory bacteria and viruses. Looking ahead, she plans to expand her research to maternal immunisation and neonatal immunity. “This is an exciting direction that aims to address critical challenges in protecting vulnerable populations from infectious diseases,” she explained.