GIMM - Jonathan Howard

GIMM Emeritus Fellow
Former Director of the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência

Professor Jonathan Howard is a distinguished immunologist and cell geneticist whose scientific career has made major contributions to our understanding of immunogenetics, antigen processing and host–pathogen interactions. He is internationally recognised for his work on the genetic control of immune responses, including studies on the major histocompatibility complex and the mechanisms involved in MHC class I assembly.

Professor Howard served as Director of the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência from 2012, succeeding António Coutinho, until the end of his mandate, prior to the appointment of Mónica Bettencourt-Dias as Director in 2018. During his leadership, IGC continued to strengthen its international profile as a highly interactive, curiosity-driven research institute, with a strong commitment to scientific excellence, independent research, and advanced training.

Before joining IGC, Professor Howard held senior scientific positions in the UK and Germany. He was Head of the Department of Immunology at the Babraham Institute, Cambridge, and later Professor of Cell Genetics at the Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society, an EMBO Member, and a member of Academia Europaea.

His appointment as GIMM Emeritus Fellow recognises his outstanding scientific contributions and his important role in the history and legacy of IGC, one of the legacy institutes that contributed to the creation of GIMM. Professor Howard remains an active and valued member of the GIMM community, engaging with researchers across the institute, discussing their science, and contributing his experience, insight, and guidance to GIMM’s ongoing scientific life.