A medical researcher from The Australian National University (ANU) has received a $1.225 million fellowship from the Sylvia and Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation to study how the immune system works and to design new immunotherapies. 

Associate Professor Di Yu from The John Curtin School of Medical Research will receive $245,000 each year over five years to research the role of T lymphocytes in the immune system that are also key targets of treatments for infections, cancer and autoimmunity. 

“I feel honoured and grateful to be awarded the very prestigious Senior Medical Research Fellowship from the Sylvia and Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation,” he said.

“With the strong financial support from this Fellowship and the ANU Futures Scheme, my team will address some of the most fundamental questions about the immune system and will design new therapies for infections and a range of diseases.”

Acting ANU Vice-Chancellor Professor Margaret Harding welcomed the announcement of Dr Yu’s fellowship.

“On behalf of the University, I congratulate Di on this fantastic achievement,” Professor Harding said.

“His team’s work is a great example of the research being done at ANU, which seeks to solve some of the biggest problems facing the world.”

The Senior Medical Research Fellowship awarded to Dr Yu is funded by the Sylvia and Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation and Bellberry Limited.

Click here for more information about the Sylvia and Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation.