Infection and Immunity Group
Research Activity
Infectious agents have evolved specific mechanisms to enter and survive in their host, often involving subversion of the host cell machinery. All infectious disease research involves the interaction between pathogen and host – the molecular microbiologists within this group focus on the role of the pathogen in this interplay, characterising genes, proteins and other molecules that are important in the infection process. They work with immunologists to define the host’s response to the organism in question, defining molecular mechanisms underlying inflammation and immunity, and the role of innate and adaptive defence/immune systems.
The successful control and prevention of infectious animal diseases needs to take the dynamics of infectious organisms in populations into consideration, which is based on an understanding of their relationship with the environment and possible hosts and is informed by both pathogen and host factors. Epidemiologists are integral to our Infection and Immunity multi-disciplinary research teams. In addition, acceptability and feasibility of control measures are critical for the success of control efforts. Economic evaluations are therefore part of the group’s integrated approach to the development of effective and efficient infection control programmes.
Current research interests:
- Novel risk-based surveillance models for emerging zoonotic diseases (avian influenza, Rift Valley fever and antimicrobial resistance)
- Porcine metabolic wasting syndrome
- Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus: domestic animal – human interactions
- Bovine viral diarrhoea virus: development of a UK National Control Strategy
- Foot and Mouth Disease virus in the UK
- Canine Coronavirus: role in infectious canine respiratory disease complex
- M Tuberculosis latency and hypervirulence
- Innate immunity in domestic species and the interaction of the innate immune system with a range of pathogens (viruses, bacteria, parasites)
- Cell biology, immunity and epidemiology of prion diseases
- Economic evaluation of surveillance and disease control programmes