Virology

Entry requirements

Please refer to our website for further information.

Months of entry

September

Course content

25 group leaders sit within the Section of Virology, most of whom have their laboratory and/or clinical base at the St Mary’s Campus. Their research areas stretch from understanding the molecular details of how viruses manipulate the host cell machinery and subvert immune responses, to optimizing strategies to deliver novel therapies to patients.

The viruses studied within the Section range from the small RNA viruses that cause respiratory infection to the large complex DNA viruses that lead to persistent infections and cancer. There is a strong focus on retrovirology, including strategies for HIV cure, and the early detection and treatment of diseases caused by the human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV) -1. Another major focus is to understand the evolution of the influenza virus to improve therapies and vaccines for seasonal influenza and to better predict pandemic emergence. The section has a strong track record in the response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic from the development of diagnostics, through determining the impact of viral evolution on the host response to clinical trials. Clinical research spans diagnosis, natural history and pathogenesis studies through early phase clinical trials to international interventions across a range of infections.

Department specialisms

Virology, Epstein-Barr Virus, CMV, HIV, HTLVI, Hepatitis Viruses, Respiratory Syncitial Virus, Vaccinia (Pox) Viruses, Immune Response to Viral Infections.