Research group

Infection

Infection research

We explore pathogens causing infectious diseases of global importance. Our research involves understanding how pathogens interact with their hosts and using this information to develop new vaccines, antimicrobials and diagnostics.

Part of Medicine

About

The group’s aims are broad within the remits of infection, immunology and inflammation. We seek to understand how pathogens causes infectious diseases and use this information to design new vaccines and diagnostic assays.

We are also engaged in the fight against antimicrobial resistance, where bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses adapt to the overuse of antibiotics and drugs to become more dangerous and intractable pathogens. Our areas of focus include respiratory diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, liver disease and fundamental studies into associated immunological processes. A particular strength is global outreach, with many researchers within the group sharing extensive international collaborations.     

Our main research areas include: 

  • respiratory infections (principally viral and bacterial), asthma and COPD 
  • meningitis, with strengths in epidemiology and a human challenge model  
  • sexually transmitted diseases, notably chlamydia and gonorrhoea
  • parasite infections
  • development of vaccines and novel antimicrobials
  • development of new rapid diagnostic platforms for infectious diseases
  • development of ex vivo laboratory models to study infectious diseases
  • molecular immunology 

People, projects, publications and PhDs

People

Dr Adam Dale

Associate Professor

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Dr Chris McCormick BSc, DPhil, PGCert

Associate Professor

Research interests

  • Positive strand RNA virus replication
  • Viral proteases
  • Viral host pathogen interactions

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Professor Chrissie Jones BMedSci, BMBS, FRCPCH, PgcertHBE, FHEA, PhD

Prof of Paediatric Infection & Immunity

Research interests

  • Vaccination in pregnancy
  • Infection risk reduction in pregnancy
  • Congenital infections

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Dr Colette O'neill

Lecturer in Pharmacology
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Emeritus Professor Ian Clarke

Research interests

  • Transposon mutagenesis of Chlamydia species
  • Cell culture systems and replicons for human noroviruses
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Dr Jay Laver

Principal Research Fellow

Research interests

  • 1. Drugs in bugs: The main focus of my research is developing applications for genetically mo…
  • 2. Bugs as drugs: An interesting observation from previous CHIMEs is that Neisseria lactamica…

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Emeritus Professor John Heckels

Research interests

  • The structure and immunochemistry of the surface antigens of pathogenic Neisseria
  • The development of immunity to meningococcal meningitis and gonorrhoea
  • The identification and evaluation of potential vaccine candidates for prevention Neisseria in…
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Professor Myron Christodoulides

Professor of Bacteriology
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Professor Parwez Hossain MBChB PhD FHEA FRCOphth FRCS (Ed)

Professor

Research interests

  • Corneal Infection
  • Keratitis
  • Corneal Transplantation

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Professor Robert Read

Chair of Infectious Diseases
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