Laşin Özbek

Ralph A. Lewin Scholarship in Medical Sciences

Joining us from: Istanbul, Türkiye

Master of Science in Integrated Immunology (2025)

I recently completed my medical training and double major in molecular biology and genetics at Koç University, where I developed a strong interest in how immunology intersects with clinical medicine. During my studies, I worked on interdisciplinary research projects in transplant medicine, infectious diseases, and metabolism. These experiences made me appreciate how immune responses shape disease trajectories, treatment decisions, and long-term outcomes, and motivated me to pursue further training in immunology and gain a more mechanistic understanding of what I had been encountering in clinical and research settings.

My MSc in Integrated Immunology has been a genuinely enjoyable and rewarding experience so far. I have appreciated revisiting immunology from first principles, learning to think more experimentally, and seeing how fundamental research informs therapeutic development. It has allowed me to connect my medical background to a deeper scientific foundation and broadened my sense of what I would like to do next. I am particularly interested in transplant immunology and cancer immunology, and I hope to further explore these interests through research in the future. Being surrounded by people who care deeply about immunology, science, and medicine has been one of the highlights of my time here.

I am supported in my studies by the Ralph A. Lewin Scholarship, generously provided by Lanna Cheng through the Clarendon Scholarship. This support has made it possible for me to take full advantage of the academic and research opportunities at Oxford, without the financial pressures that often accompany postgraduate study.

The St Cross community has been warm, diverse, and easy to be part of, and I have enjoyed how naturally it brings students together across disciplines. Outside my studies, I enjoy oil painting and often spend time exploring museums and cafés around Oxford. I’m looking forward to the rest of the year and everything ahead!