The Centre includes research groups investigating cutting-edge topics in microbiology, virology and immunology. Investigators in the centre receive blue-chip funding from MRC, Wellcome Trust, BBSRC and EUFP7, and publish in top journals.

At mucosal surfaces such as the mouth and the gut there is intimate association between the immune system, food antigens, and the resident commensal bacteria. Several groups are investigating how this relationship is regulated in health, what goes wrong in inflammatory diseases such as Crohn’s disease and periodontitis, and how the immune system distinguishes between pathogens and the normal microbiota. Studies include understanding mucosal T cell biology in health and disease, how dendritic cells modulate T-cell activity, the development of unconventional T-cells, and analysis of bacterial surface macromolecules.

People who settle in east London come from many parts of the world where TB (caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis) and AIDS (HIV) are endemic. We investigate immunobiology, pathogenic mechanisms, new drug targets, and strategies for vaccines and improved disease prevention in both of these globally important infections. We host the Health Protection Agency National Mycobacterium Reference Laboratory which contributes to the Centre’s research strength on this topic. We also investigate epidemiology and pathogenic mechanisms of other organisms including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. We have a strong health service research strand to our work, focusing on sexually transmitted pathogens. Current national studies evaluate interventions to prevent transmission of infection.

Resistance to antibiotics and antiviral agents presents a major challenge to modern medicine. We study the molecular and genetic mechanisms of resistance to antimicrobials, how resistance spreads, and novel strategies for combating resistance. Particular strengths are in drug resistant HIV, M. tuberculosis, and multiply antibiotic resistant gram negative bacteria.

Click here for further details of academic staff and their research.

The Centre plays major roles in education. In addition to our contribution to the medical curriculum we teach microbiology and immunology to Biological and Chemical Sciences undergraduates and run an intercalated BSc in Infection and Immunity. Our MSc and Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Microbiology contributes to the training of specialist registrars, clinical scientists and biomedical scientists throughout London and further afield.

Researchers from the Centre are actively involved in the communication of science through “Meet the Scientist” talks, visits to schools, and training as Science Ambassadors. They have also contributed to the development of learning resources and educational games within the Centre of the Cell, a unique science outreach project housed within the Blizard Building.

Please click here to see web profiles of non-academic staff.