Pathogen biology
Using cutting-edge cellular, structural and molecular biology techniques, we are investigating viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites; their structure; and the ways they survive and cause disease.
- Microbes have evolved with us, developing a multitude of strategies to spread from one person to another as well as avoiding or overcoming attempts to eradicate them. In the process, they cause disease by many different routes.
- Vaccines stimulate protective mechanisms that target components of viruses, bacteria and parasites. It is therefore essential that we understand the structure of these components so targeting can be improved.
- Furthermore, by defining how pathogens promote transmission and cause disease, vaccines can be designed to specifically reduce spread between individuals and disease severity when absolute prevention cannot be achieved.
Key members of this theme
Professor Charles Bangham
Professor Charles Bangham
Chair of Immunology
Professor Wendy Barclay
Professor Wendy Barclay
Action Medical Research Chair in Virology
Dr Andrew Blagborough
Dr Andrew Blagborough
Research Fellow
Dr Angela Brueggemann
Dr Angela Brueggemann
Senior Lecturer
Dr Christopher Chiu
Dr Christopher Chiu
Clinical Senior Lecturer
Dr Aubrey Cunnington
Dr Aubrey Cunnington
Clinical Senior Lecturer
Professor Gad Frankel
Professor Gad Frankel
Professor of Molecular Pathogenesis
Professor David Holden
Professor David Holden
Director of the Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection
Professor Paul Langford
Professor Paul Langford
Professor of Paediatric Infectious Diseases
Dr Kirsty Le Doare
Dr Kirsty Le Doare
Clinical Senior Lecturer in Paediatric Diseases
Dr Sandra Newton
Dr Sandra Newton
Senior Research Fellow
Professor Peter Openshaw
Professor Peter Openshaw
Clinical Consul for the Faculty of Medicine
Dr Karen Polizzi
Dr Karen Polizzi
Senior Lecturer
Dr Brian Robertson
Dr Brian Robertson
Reader in Systems Microbiology
Professor Murray Selkirk
Professor Murray Selkirk
Professor of Biochemical Parasitology
Dr Mike Skinner
Dr Mike Skinner
Reader in Virology
Professor Shiranee Sriskandan
Professor Shiranee Sriskandan
Professor of Infectious Diseases
Dr Dina Vlachou
Dr Dina Vlachou
Research Fellow