Dr Michelle Willicombe has been selected to deliver the De Wardener Lecture at UK Kidney Week 2026, recognising her distinguished contribution to clinical research in kidney transplantation and her impact on transplant practice and policy.
The De Wardener Lecture was established in 2004 in honour of Professor Hugh de Wardener, one of the UK’s most distinguished nephrologists and clinical scientists. Professor de Wardener served as President of both the Renal Association and the International Society of Nephrology, and the lecture bearing his name recognises individuals with an outstanding record in clinical research related to kidney disease. Since 2006, it has been a regular feature of the Renal Association Annual Conference and its successor programmes.
Dr Willicombe is a Senior Clinical Lecturer at Imperial College London and an Honorary Consultant Nephrologist within Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. She has a longstanding clinical and research focus on kidney transplantation and transplant immunology.
She serves as Transplant Nephrology Lead within her Trust and is the clinical liaison for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics, the specialty responsible for assessing donor–recipient compatibility prior to transplantation. In this role, she works closely with laboratory and clinical teams to support safe and effective transplant decision-making.
Dr Willicombe leads a clinical research team whose work helps shape transplant policy and patient pathways. She is an investigator in multiple multicentre research studies focused on strategies to prevent and treat antibody-mediated rejection, a major cause of transplant failure. Through this work, she has contributed to improving understanding of immune-mediated injury in transplantation and to strengthening evidence-based approaches to patient care.
Her selection to deliver the De Wardener Lecture reflects both the clinical relevance and scientific rigour of her work, and its alignment with the lecture’s longstanding focus on excellence in clinical kidney research.
The De Wardener Lecture will be delivered in person during the morning plenary at UK Kidney Week 2026, taking place at 8:30 am on Wednesday 11 March 2026 in Harrogate.
