News Item

Andrew MacDonald and colleagues from the University of Edinburgh played a key role in organising the 38th Annual European Macrophage and Dendritic Cell Society (EMDS) meeting, held 16–18 September 2025 at McEwan Hall. The event was co-organised by Andrew MacDonald (Institute of Immunology & Infection Research) and Samanta Mariani (Institute for Regeneration and Repair), together with Calum Bain from the University of Glasgow. The meeting welcomed over 260 delegates from around the world to discuss the latest advances in macrophage, monocyte, and dendritic cell biology.

The programme featured keynote talks from leading experts — including Yasmine Belkaid, Luke O’Neill, Martin Guilliams, and David Russell — as well as over 20 presentations from early-career researchers (ECR). The MacDonald lab’s research was recognised, with Vivien Shek and Natalia Wasowska awarded with poster prizes.

Reflecting on the experience, Vivien said:

“This was my first EMDS conference and a truly memorable experience. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to share our research and to receive recognition for my poster. It was an invaluable experience as an ECR— receiving feedback, connecting with others in the field, and learning from inspiring talks that will help shape the next steps in my research.”

Natalia added:

“EMDS was one of the most fruitful conferences, in terms of scientific inspiration, that I’ve had the pleasure of attending. The excellent selection of talks, with a special focus on giving the stage to many ECRs, made the experience even more exciting. Winning the poster prize was a very welcome surprise and the cherry on top of an already successful meeting!” 

For more information about the conference, visit the EMDS 2025 website.