Immunologist enters hall of professors

A move to Germany, several unexpected turns and "a little bit of luck" helped set newly appointed Professor Christopher Hall on the path to becoming a leading immunology researcher.

During his inaugural lecture at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, Hall reflected on the journey that took him from a science-loving child growing up in West Auckland to an internationally recognised scientist. His work has helped explain how the body responds to infection and injury.

An early fascination with biology led him to study biotechnology and later complete a PhD in Molecular Medicine at the University of Auckland. After graduating, he moved to Berlin to undertake postdoctoral research at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, convinced that developmental biology would define his future.

It didn't.

"I started out thinking I'd become a developmental biologist but science has a way of taking you in directions you never expect," he says.

After returning to Auckland, Hall turned his attention to immunology, investigating how immune responses shape health and disease. His research has since spanned blood stem cells, metabolism, immune function, and gout.

Hall says advances in imaging technology had allowed researchers to observe biological processes in unprecedented detail.

"Being able to see the immune system in action changed the way we study disease," he says.

He highlighted studies showing that blood stem cells play an active role in regulating immune responses. His work has uncovered links between metabolism and immunity and revealed how the innate immune system can retain a memory of past infections.

He has also investigated how biological rhythms affect the body's ability to fight bacteria, helping explain why immune defences perform differently at different times of the day.

Hall says moving between countries, changing research focus and navigating the setbacks of scientific research had required resilience and adaptability.

"Sometimes the most important discoveries come from taking opportunities you never planned for," he says.