Bart Vanhaesebroeck

Professor Bart Vanhaesebroeck is a biomedical scientist who has made seminal contributions to understanding the biology of phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) in cell signalling, immunity, and cancer, helping to lay the foundation for translating PI3K biology into clinical applications. He is especially recognised for identifying the PI3Kδ isoform and demonstrating its critical roles in B-cell and T-cell function. These findings informed the development of PI3Kδ-targeting medicines, now approved for haematological malignancies and immune disorders. His lab’s more recent discovery that PI3Kδ inhibition can paradoxically activate the immune system has opened new avenues for cancer immunotherapy, currently being evaluated in clinical trials. He has further advanced the field by developing the first direct PI3K activators, expanding the therapeutic potential of kinase modulation. Bart serves as Professor of Cell Signalling at University College London, where he leads a programme integrating fundamental biochemistry with translational research in oncology, immunology, and tissue regeneration. Among his honours are election as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS), a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, and a Member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO).