Dr Vincent B. Luscombe DPhil a Tongan descent graduated from Oxford University
6 June 2025. Dr Vincent B. Luscombe DPhil, a New Zealander of Tongan descent, on Saturday graduated with a high degree from Oxford University, where he also distinguished himself in the sport of water polo.
Vincent completed his DPhil in Molecular Cell Biology in Health and Disease at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology and Somerville College, in April 2024, but waited until summer 2025 for his graduation ceremony.
“Yes, I am honestly very glad everything went smoothly and I was quite nervous right up to the moment I was getting my degree,” Vincent told Matangi Tonga today.
At Oxford, doctoral graduates who have received their “leave to supplicate” are not officially recognised as “Doctors” until the Colleges present students to the University to receive their degrees.
The graduation ceremony held at the historic, 350-year-old, Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford was attended by his parents John and Litia (nee Va‘emolo) Luscombe, of Albany in New Zealand, and his brother, Nathan from London. His mother's family comes from Vava'u (Falaleu, Taoa and Vaimalo).
Vincent completed his studies at Oxford after winning a coveted post graduate Clarendon Scholarship with full funding for four years research at the university’s Somerville College.
“Research and discovery is such a rewarding area for curious people who value fundamental sciences, and I knew a PhD was the best way to immerse myself in the scientific community while working on understanding human biology,” he said.
He worked in a laboratory looking at acute vascular inflammation, and the role inflammatory mediators play in disease processes occurring in arteries causing angina, heart attacks and strokes. His doctoral thesis was on “The role of orphan receptor GPR84 in macrophage biology and inflammation”.
“…I particularly enjoyed research at the molecular level because of how these microscopic details can change our understanding of disease pathology,” said Vincent.
“The immune system is no exception, where finely tuned systems dictate how our immune cells eat, move, and communicate.
I joined the lab of Prof. David Greaves to research how one relatively poorly understood protein receptor seems to drive inflammation from macrophages in those three behaviours especially.”
Vincent said he was grateful for all the support he received during his doctoral work. “Thank you to all my family and friends who not only helped me along the way, but helped get me to the starting line.
As my thesis developed, my appreciation deepened, and it is no exaggeration to say that it was a team effort. They do say it takes a village...,” he said.
For the future, Vincent wants to continue in scientific research, “specifically in molecular pharmacology and drug discovery, which are areas that have great potential to characterise diseases and inform us on how to treat them.”
Water Polo club president
In his spare time, Vincent is a water polo coach, and has fond memories of playing sport at Oxford.
“I played three seasons with the Oxford University Water Polo Club (OUWPC) …which has a long history, with the Varsity match against Cambridge being played annually since 1891, so it was a joy to be elected as club President and to continue some of its traditions. I can’t really imagine my time here being the same without it, or the people I met playing it,” he said.
He acknowledged his graduate funding from the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, Somerville College, and the Clarendon Fund.
