Appointment of Dr. Leila Akkari as professor by special appointment at Leiden University
Dr. Leila Akkari has been appointed professor by special appointment at the Leiden Institute of Chemistry (LIC) as per 15 December 2025. Her chair, entitled Cancer-Immune Interactions, has been established by the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI), where Dr. Akkari works as a researcher.
She studies the relationship between cancer cells and the immune system, particularly in forms of liver and brain cancer. This appointment strengthens existing research collaborations with chemical biologists within the LIC, such as Prof. Sander van Kasteren and Prof. Alexander Kros. Dr. Akkari will also teach in her field at Leiden University's Master's programme in Life Science and Technology. The more intensive collaboration between the LIC and the NKI will lead to mutual reinforcement of chemical and immunological research, which will result in new insights into the complex relationship between cancer and the immune system, with the ultimate goal of improving cancer therapies.