Research
My team's main aim is to improve diagnosis, treatment and management of infection, with a focus on brain infections in children (and adults) across the UK and world-wide. My research Interests lie on the host responses to severe infection and inflammation, particularly neurological insults, with a focus on identifying diagnostic and prognostic markers as well as to better understand the role of host and pathogen responses in determining the outcome of brain infections. I use transcriptomic and proteomic approaches to explore these responses, both in patient populations and brain infection models.
Active funding or within 5 years
Total >£18M; Principal [or chief investigator] PI: >£3.9M; Co-Investigator [CI]: >£14M)
Selected grants:
1. MRC-DPFS: Development of a novel host blood test using TRanscripts to Identify bacterial Meningitis (TRIM study). PI costed extension until 2025 (MRC approved / finalising legal agreements)
2. Health Education and Innovation Funding (HEIF): Developing novel diagnostic tools in partnership with BlinxDX PI HEIF funding (£30,034) plus matched in-kind funding. 10/2022-ongoing
3. MRC: Diagnostic Improvement of Meningo-Encephalitis in Indonesia (DIME study) supplement - PI £34,132 09/2022-
4. Health Education and Innovation Funding (HEIF): Developing novel diagnostic tools in partnership with Dam Health and Medtechtomarket PI £51,240 02/2022
5. MRC-DPFS: Development of a novel host blood test using TRanscripts to Identify bacterial Meningitis (TRIM study). PI £1.69M 03/2019
6. Newton Fund: Diagnostic Improvement of Meningo-Encephalitis in Indonesia (DIME study) - using novel and established molecular diagnostic tools. PI £419,510 04/2019
7. MRC CiC: CSF peptide data set to accurately diagnose bacterial infection in neuro-surgical patients” PI £59,999 10/2019
8. Fast Track Diagnostics (Industry): Improving diagnosis of CNS infections through pathogen specific NAAT. Co-PI £411,877 05/2014 - ongoing
9. MRC CiC: Employing Next Generation Sequencing to enhance diagnosis of neurosurgical cerebrospinal fluid shunt infection. £24,999 09/21 Collaboration with University of California San Francisco (UCSF)
10. UKRI: The COVID-19 Clinical Neuroscience Study (COVID-CNS) Paediaitric lead; £1,986,056 10/2020
11. National Institute of Health Research (NIHR): DexEnceph: Dexamethasone in Herpes Simplex Virus Encephalitis Randomised Controlled Trial. Co-I £145,126, Supplement: 06/2021
12. NIHR: DexEnceph: Dexamethasone in Herpes Simplex Virus Encephalitis Randomised Controlled Trial. Co-I £1,331,779 01/2021
13. NIHR: Global Health Research Group (GHRG) on Improving the Management of Acute Brain Infections at University of Liverpool Co-I £237,075 Suppl. 03/2021
14. NIHR: COVID-Neuro: COVID-19 Neurological Disease: a Global Meta-Analysis and Prospective Case Control Study in Brazil, India and Malawi. Co-I £932,541 10/2020
15. NIHR Health Protection Research Unit: Emerging & Zoonotic Infections Co-I £3,891,432 04/2020
16. Enceph-Ig NIHR Efficacy Mechanism Evaluation Program Co-I £3,225,92 04/2020
17. NIHR: Global Health Research Group (GHRG study) on Improving the Management of Acute Brain Infections at University of Liverpool Co-I £1,348,992 03/2018
18. Wellcome Trust: Empowering communities affected by Zika Virus – Zika Engagement, Support and Training PI £63,750 03/2017
19. EU: Zika Preparedness Latin American Network (ZikaPLAN): Co-I £900,790 10/2016
20. MRC: Improving diagnostics for Zika infection (IDZI study) through Fiocruz, Brazil, Laboratorio de Virología, Colombia and Liverpool-Public Health England. PI £101,025 03/2016
21. Wellcome Trust: Childhood Aetiology of Severe Encephalopathy in Malawi (CHASE study); Clinical PhD Fellowship: Primary Supervisor (Dr S Ray) £354,13 10/2017
22. Wellcome Trust: Risk factors for and spatio-temporal distribution of cases of acute encephalitis syndrome in northern Viet Nam. Clinical PhD Fellowship: Primary Supervisor (Dr H Brindle) £382,839 10/2014
Research Interest 1
As in personal statement
Research groups
Research grants
Predictive Biomarkers in Paediatric Demyelinating disease
ASTON UNIVERSITY (UK)
June 2022 - June 2024
NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections (HPRU EZI)
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
April 2020 - March 2025
COVID-19 Neurological Disease: a Global Meta-Analysis and Prospective Case Control Study in Brazil, India and Malawi. (COVID-Neuro)
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
October 2020 - March 2023
Early social care needs of people who have had encephalitis
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
April 2020 - April 2026
Zika Preparedness Latin American Network — ZikaPLAN
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
October 2016 - March 2021
Improving diagnostics for Zika infection through Fiocruz, Brazil, Laboratorio de Virología, Colombia and Liverpool-Public Health England partnership.
DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY (BEIS) (UK)
March 2016 - March 2017
NIMBI feasibility study -Non-invasive measurement of intracranial pressure and cerebral oxygenation in paediatric brain injury protocol.
ALDER HEY CHILDREN'S CHARITY (UK)
May 2015 - December 2017
Non-invasive measurement of intracranial pressure and cerebral oxygenation in paediatric brain injury.
UK CHILDREN'S NEUROLOGICAL RESEARCH CAMPAIGN (UK)
September 2014 - August 2015
Improving diagnosis of brain infections in Indonesia using novel and established molecular diagnostic tools.
DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY (BEIS) (UK)
April 2019 - March 2023
NIHR Global Health Research Group on Improving the Management of Acute Brain Infections at University of Liverpool
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
April 2018 - December 2022
Improving awareness around Zika and when to seek diagnostic testing among underprivileged communities in Brazil and Colombia.
WELLCOME TRUST (UK)
April 2017 - September 2017
Development of a novel blood test to aid the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis (TRIM)
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
April 2019 - March 2026
Late social care needs of people who have had encephalitis
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
January 2021 - August 2024
Establishing research infrastructure for the Brain Infections UK portfolio of studies investigating central nervous system infections within WCTF and across the UK.
THE WALTON CENTRE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST (UK)
March 2012 - March 2013
Bridging and accelerating the translation of novel scientific findings for health and wealth gain
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
March 2014 - August 2015
Bardatin Aifa - bench fees
MINISTRY OF FINANCE (INDONESIA)
October 2014 - September 2018
A Preliminary Examination Of The Role Of The Inflammatory Response In The Pathogenesis Of Encephalitis (Proposal for a Follow on Study from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) study of the Aetiology of Encephalitis in England)
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
March 2010 - March 2012
Developing minocycline as a novel anti-apoptotic treatment for Herpes Simplex Virus encephalitis
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
March 2010 - March 2012
Developing a blood test to diagnose bacterial meningitis in adults.
THE TERESA ROSENBAUM GOLDEN CHARITABLE TRUST (THE ROSETREES TRUST) (UK)
June 2014 - December 2016
Improving the diagnosis of patients with central nervous system infections in partnership with Fast Track Diagnostics.
FAST TRACK DIAGNOSTICS RESEARCH LIMITED (UK)
May 2014 - March 2025