£5.5M funding boost for emerging and zoonotic infections research

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The University of Liverpool has been awarded £5.5 million by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) for continued support of the Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections (EZI).

This new award will allow a continuation of the existing HPRU EZI, which has been hosted by the University of Liverpool since 2014 and aims to support and strengthen the UKHSA in its role of protecting the UK from emerging and zoonotic infections (those which spread from animals to humans).

The HPRU EZI, led by Professor Tom Solomon, continues the partnership between the University of Liverpool, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, University of Oxford and UKHSA, and is enhanced by the addition of London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

Professor Solomon said: “The world has changed considerably since our unit was established in 2014, and especially since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. The vision of our new unit is for the UK to be better prepared for emerging and zoonotic infections, especially of pandemic potential. We will achieve this through four overarching aims: Conduct the highest quality research to help the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) protect us from emerging infections. Engage and involve patients and the public, especially marginalised communities, to address health inequalities. Train the next generation of researchers to address emerging infections. Collaborate widely to ensure the maximum value and highest impact of our work, saving lives and livelihoods.  Our new major collaborators include the Centre for Virus Research at the University of Glasgow, and The Pandemic Institute, Liverpool.”

Professor Louise Kenny, Executive Pro-Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, said: “We are delighted to have received funding to support the continuation of the HPRU in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections. The work of this unit, which draws on significant strengths from the across the University of Liverpool and our national and international partners, was critical in our response to the COVID-19 pandemic and we look forward to continuing our world-leading work in health protection.”

A total of 13 new HPRUs were announced recently by NIHR, as part of a £80 million research investment to keep the public safe from current and emerging public health threats. The HPRUs, which are all partnerships between top universities and UKHSA, will launch in April 2025 and run for five years.