The Infection Biology theme investigates virulence mechanisms of pathogenic micro organisms and viruses, host response to infection, immunopathologies such as inflammation and immune system dysfunctional as well as the development of novel therapeutics and drug delivery. This theme aims to attain new infrastructure such as Level III containment facilities, transgenic animal facilities and facilities that will enable infection with manipulated GMOs. Securing infrastructure is key to the development of this theme and could form the core for a centre of excellence in Infection Biology. The University is in a unique position nationally to achieve this due to co-location on campus with the National Virus Reference Laboratory (NVRL), the Centre for Research on Infectious Diseases (CRID) and the UCD Veterinary Hospital. Such facilities are available as a national resource enabling collaborations and profiling research within SBBS.
SBBS is commited to the continued development of Infection Biology as a major research theme and recently initated a thematic doctoral programme in Infection Biology together with SMMS and SAFVM that will underpin the development of an institutional research programme on infectious disease. SBBS aims to further support research in this area through recruitment of high-calibre researchers and by expansion of PhD student numbers.
Academics in the Infection Biology theme:
Prof. Geraldine Butler
Prof. Steve Gordon
Dr. Hilary McMahon
Prof. Wim Meijer
Dr. Jennifer Mitchell
Dr. Tadhg O' Croinin
Dr. Jim O' Gara
'Lab Skills: Three Places at Once' by Marco Monopoli