genetics

Rotavirus is the major cause of paediatric severe diarrhoea worldwide. The virus is antigenically variable, with diversity arising from immune driven drift and reassortment of its segmented RNA genome during superinfections of human and animal strains. In Africa in particular the occurrence of unusual variant combinations of the immunodiminant G and P types is very high. Live attenuated vaccines, shown to be highly effective where they have been so far trialed, are increasingly being implemented within universal infant immunization schedules.

We have developed theoretical models describing the spread of drug resistance in malaria, concentrating on what matters to how fast resistance develops, and which do not.  Field studies from collaborators Hamza Baabiker have shown that the frequency of resistance declines during the non-transmission season, thus suggesting a biological cost of resistance, and that differential drug use can lead to population structure at the spatial level. We are also participating in the highly active research area of describing the general population structure of malaria parasite populations.

Collaborators: Dr. H. Babiker, Dr. D. Arnot, Prof. D. Walliker, Dr. P. Hunt, Dr. J. McBride, Prof. R. Carter.