Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery marks fifth anniversary with interdisciplinary research symposium

Oxford's Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery marks fifth anniversary with interdisciplinary research symposium

Lightbox showing the Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery and University of Oxford logos in the foreground, symposium delegates in the background
The Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery (Kavli INsD) recently held a one‑day symposium marking the Institute’s fifth anniversary and celebrating the career of its founding Director, Professor Dame Carol Robinson. Bringing together established and early‑career researchers, the event showcased the breadth of research and interdisciplinary collaboration facilitated by the Institute.
Supporting emerging research
The programme began with 12 research talks, which brought together a range of scientific perspectives, encouraging shared exploration of ideas while foregrounding the contributions of early‑career researchers and students. This focus extended beyond the lecture theatre, with 38 scientific poster presentations that created opportunities for informal discussion and exchange between students and researchers.

 

Dr Tamaris Borges da Silva and Sarah Almutawa (Doctoral Student) attending a research talk at Oxford's Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery 5th birthday symposium
Dr Navoneel Sen standing by a lecturn, smiling, as he gives a lecture during the 5th birthday symposium held by Oxford's Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery (Kavli INsD)
Dr Dominika Gruszka (animated and smiling) and a visiting student in discussion at the 5th birthday symposium held by Oxford's Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery.
Running alongside the research programme, training sessions in scientific presentation and writing supported additional skills development. A pop‑up exhibition invited reflection on 12 questions about the ethical implications of scientific discovery, prompting conversation about responsibility in research practice.

 

I was delighted to witness the level of engagement from our Kavli Oxford members with each other’s research and the ethics exhibition. —  Professor Dame Carol Robinson, Founding Director 

 

Treasa O’Hagan (Doctoral Student), Dr Emily Machala and Dr Jose Prius Mengual discussing the posters forming part of a pop-up ethics exhibition at the 5th birthday symposium held by Oxford's Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery (Kavli INsD)
Two researchers looking academic posters at the 5th birthday symposium held by Oxford's Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery (Kavli INsD)
Guillaume MacNeil (Research Associate) and colleagues discussing academic posters discussing academic posters at the 5th birthday symposium held by Oxford's Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery (Kavli INsD)
Dr Saurabh Talele and Zile Zhuang (Doctoral Student) discussing academic posters at the 5th birthday symposium held by Oxford's Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery (Kavli INsD)
Celebrating legacy
The day also marked Professor Dame Carol Robinson’s career as the Institute’s founding Director. As part of the programme, a seminar room in the Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Building was renamed in her honour. In opening the newly named ‘Carol Robinson Seminar Room’, Professor Justin Benesch described Robinson’s role in advancing native mass spectrometry (MS) and highlighted her influence as a researcher, mentor and advocate for early‑career scientists. Her personal motto, ‘Be bold. Be curious. Be kind.’, was highlighted as reflective of her approach to both research and leadership. The address traced the development of native MS over the past three decades and its ongoing use in biological and biomedical research, alongside Robinson’s role in building research communities and institutions. Robinson thanked all involved, saying that she was "extremely honoured".

 

Professor Justin Benesch giving the speech during the ceremony to rename the ‘Carol Robinson Seminar Room’ at the 5th birthday symposium held by Oxford's Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery.
Professor Dame Carol Robinson standing in front of art work by Martin O’Neill at the 5th birthday symposium held by Oxford's Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery.
Shaping future discovery
The symposium concluded with a keynote lecture by Professor Matt Higgins, who discussed how advances in nanoscience, molecular biology and computational protein design are shaping new approaches to malaria vaccine development, including strategies aimed at multiple stages of parasite infection.
Drawing on insights into the mechanisms that enable malaria parasites to invade blood cells, the lecture considered how antibody interactions and artificial intelligence‑enabled protein design could be combined to develop more effective vaccine components. The talk underscored how nanoscale science continues to drive progress in contemporary vaccine research.

 

Seated delegates listen to Professor Matt Higgins giving the keynote lecture, titled 'The application of nanoscience to malaria vaccine design', at the 5th birthday symposium held by Oxford's Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery.
Delegates listening attentively to the keynote lecture at at the 5th birthday symposium held by Oxford's Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery.
Professor Matt Higgins giving the keynote lecture, titled 'The application of nanoscience to malaria vaccine design', at the 5th birthday symposium held by Oxford's Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery.
An informal reception brought the day to a close, allowing conversations sparked during the symposium to continue beyond the formal sessions and offering a valuable opportunity for researchers to exchange ideas and explore potential collaborations.

 

Photography by John Cairns