Recent News

People wearing air-tight suits in a high containment facility conducting research in fume hoods.
People wearing air-tight suits in a high containment facility conducting research in fume hoods.

New Research Sheds Light on neutralisation and virulence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 17:50:00 GMT

Two new publications offer important information about the virulence and antibody neutralisation of Omicron variants, and the disease severity caused by different Omicron sublineages.

Over the shoulder image of a scientist pipetting pink liquid in a fume hood.
Over the shoulder image of a scientist pipetting pink liquid in a fume hood.

SARS-CoV-2 in domestic UK cats from Alpha to Omicron

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 14:46:00 BST

SARS-CoV-2 can infect numerous mammalian species in addition in humans. Pet cats live closely alongside us and are susceptible, but we don’t yet know the full spectrum of illness that the virus may cause in cats. A team of CVR researchers have screened a large number of domestic cat swabs for SARS-CoV-2. They found that cats have been less susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 since Omicron became the dominant variant and that infected cats show a variety of clinical signs.

Two spheres which represent immune protection. One sphere contains a human silhouette, the other contains two chicken silhouettes.

Key Gene that Blocks the 'Spillover' of Avian Flu to Humans Discovered

Understanding the genetic make-up of currently circulating avian flu strains may offer one of the best lines of defence against widespread human transmission. This is, according to new research which has found a key human gene responsible for blocking most avian flu viruses from spilling over into people

Sheila Graham wearing blue lab coat and sitting in front of a microscope and wearing latex gloves.

New ‘microwave’ medical treatment shows promise for patients with HPV

An innovative new medical device which uses microwave heating has shown promising potential for treating precancers and cancers caused by infection with human papillomavirus (HPV)

Stock image of cat staring at viewer.

Variants of COVID-19 in cats followed the same timeline as the human population

Household cats acquired the same COVID-19 variants as their owners throughout the pandemic, according to new research

 

Mosquito in high detail on blue fabric.

UofG to lead national surveillance programme for mosquitoes and their pathogens in wake of climate change

The University of Glasgow – in collaboration with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) – has been awarded a £1.25m grant aimed at improving our understanding of how climate change could increase the risk of mosquito-borne disease in Scotland, and enhance our preparedness.

CODEX analysis of liver tissue

Strong evidence that AAV2 and underlying genetic predisposition played a key role in child hepatitis cases

There is now strong evidence that the virus AAV2, alongside an underlying genetic predisposition, played a key role in cases of acute hepatitis in children, according to a new study published in Nature – the first detailed research investigation into the worldwide outbreak

 

Microscopy imaging of two strains of flu represented by green and purple fluorescence showing the segregation between the two strains in the host cell.

The secret world of Influenza A infections

Scientists at the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research have revealed more about the hidden world of respiratory viral infection

 

Three cats lying on the floor.
Three cats lying on the floor.

ISCAID to hold its 2022 Symposium in Glasgow this September

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 10:08:00 BST

ISCAID's 2022 Symposium will include a range of exciting topics in companion animal infectious disease, including One Health topics spanning a spectrum of zoonotic pathogens in both man and animals.

Image of 3D blood cells and adenovirus structure

Hepatitis Cases in Children Linked to Adeno-Associated Virus AAV2

Recent acute hepatitis cases of unknown origin in children have now been linked to the virus AAV2 in two new UK studies, with no evidence of a direct link to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Computer generated flu virion
Computer generated flu virion

UofG researchers to lead new national influenza virus toolkit

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 14:25:00 GMT

Researchers at the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR) have received £200,000 funding from the Medical Research Council (MRC), matched with more than £100,000 of in-kind funding from MRC Units, to develop the Influenza Virus Toolkit, a reagent repository for influenza virus researchers.

Banner containing cartoon ticks and viruses
Banner containing cartoon ticks and viruses

Brennan Lab awarded large Public Engagement grant from Wellcome

Fri, 21 Jan 2022 14:25:00 GMT

The Brennan Lab have been awarded £67k from the Scottish Public Engagement Network (Wellcome) to undertake a 2.5 year project raising awareness of ticks & tick-borne diseases across Scotland, empowering people to make informed decisions about accessing the outdoors

Common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) captured in Peru having samples collected for virus testing as part of a long-term study. Credit: Laura Bergner
Common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) captured in Peru having samples collected for virus testing as part of a long-term study. Credit: Laura Bergner

Haris Malik awarded Carnegie Trust Robertson Medal

Thu, 06 May 2021 14:25:00 BST

We are delighted to share that Haris Malik, a PhD student with Dr. Daniel Streicker and a Carnegie Henry Dryerre Scholar, has been awarded the Robertson Medal for Science, Engineering and Technology.

COVID-19 virus particles
COVID-19 virus particles

Investigations reveal fundamental changes in the Omicron variant

Tue, 28 Dec 2021 09:59:00 GMT

Researchers at the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research have revealed fundamental changes that are likely to be important for Omicron spread and disease.

Lateral flow device to diagnose hepatitis C

‘Origami’ diagnostic test could help Hepatitis C treatment

A new test for hepatitis C which uses origami-style folded paper to deliver fast, accurate and affordable diagnoses could help the global fight against the deadly virus.

The CVR and Pirbright Institute logos
The CVR and Pirbright Institute logos

Funding strengthens CVR and Pirbright partnership

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 09:59:00 GMT

The long-term partnership between the CVR and The Pirbright Institute has been strengthened by a joint funding award of £500,000 from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).

Logo of the Queens Anniversary Prize

CVR wins Queen's Anniversary Prize

The MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research wins a Queen's Anniversary Prize, recognising the efforts and contributions towards excellence, innovation and public benefit in virus research. 

The Medical Research Foundation Logo
The Medical Research Foundation Logo

The Medical Research Foundation Honours Dr Antonia Ho

Wed, 24 Nov 2021 09:59:00 GMT

Dr Antonia Ho has been awarded a prestigious Emerging Leaders Prize for her contributions to COVID-19 research

CVR Virion LGBTQ coloured for LGBTQ in STEM day
CVR Virion LGBTQ coloured for LGBTQ in STEM day

LGBTQ+ in STEM – Our Researchers Share their Stories

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 20:50:00 GMT

Here at the CVR, we are highlighting the experiences of some of our LGBTQ+ researchers and collaborators in celebration of LGBTQ+ in STEM day.

Image of a 24 well plate containing cells infected with SARS-CoV-2 under a widefield microscope
Image of a 24 well plate containing cells infected with SARS-CoV-2 under a widefield microscope

CVR Technicians Shortlisted for Prestigious National Award in Recognition of COVID-19 National Impact

Wed, 27 Oct 2021 10:58:00 BST

We are delighted to announce that following hundreds of nominations, our technicians and professional staff at the CVR have been shortlisted for a prestigious national award in recognition of their critical role in the national pandemic response.

A picture of Alex Wilson holding some images of ticks and a fluffy toy tick

UofG News

CVR heads to Glasgow Science Festival to talk about viruses, ticks and vaccines

Profile pictures of Professor Massimo Palmarini and Professor Emma Thomson
Profile pictures of Professor Massimo Palmarini and Professor Emma Thomson

Two CVR Professors named on new future pandemic expert committee

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 12:20:39 BST

CVR Director Professor Massimo Palmarini and Professor Emma Thomson have both been named on the new ‘Steering Committee for Pandemics’ created to strengthen public health preparations.

An illustration of SARS-CoV-2
An illustration of SARS-CoV-2

COVID-19 pandemic most likely caused by trading animals susceptible to bat coronaviruses

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 15:00:00 BST

CVR researchers with colleagues from the South China Agricultural University and Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University discuss the body of scientific evidence and the heavily debated question: where did COVID-19 come from?

Common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) captured in Peru having samples collected for virus testing as part of a long-term study. Credit: Laura Bergner
Common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) captured in Peru having samples collected for virus testing as part of a long-term study. Credit: Laura Bergner

Looking for a zoonotic needles in a viral haystack

Thu, 06 May 2021 14:25:00 BST

CVR & IBAHCM team develops and validates machine learning models that rank viruses by their ability to infect humans (“zoonotic potential”) using only their genome sequence.

Picutres of Elihu Aranday-Cortes
Picutres of Elihu Aranday-Cortes

Veterinary science, viruses and Contagious Thinking

Sun, 11 Apr 2021 00:06:00 BST

Post doctoral researcher and champion of the centre’s blog, Dr. Elihu Aranday-Cortes, tells us about his interests across a range of disciplines and how he has brought them together in his work at the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research.

Image of Alfredo Castello holding a pipette (left) diagram of the different protein-RNA interactomes in virus-free and virus infection situations (right)
Image of Alfredo Castello holding a pipette (left) diagram of the different protein-RNA interactomes in virus-free and virus infection situations (right)

RNA and viruses have always been my research landmarks

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 00:00:00 BST

Dr. Alfredo Castello was born in Madrid, Spain, and completed his bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences and PhD in Madrid. He then moved on to postdoc at EMBL, Heidelberg before becoming an MRC Career Development Awardee at the Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford and finally coming to the CVR.

Image of multiple ticks inside a test tube
Image of multiple ticks inside a test tube

What makes the Brennan Lab tick?

Fri, 26 Mar 2021 00:00:00 GMT

The CVR team investigating what makes viruses tick have recently been awarded an MRC Public Engagement Seed Fund to pilot a project engaging and involving communities around the University of Glasgow in their tick-borne virus research. To close Tick Bite Prevention Week 2021, we introduce this project and the team behind it.

Images of the CVR staff involved in COG-UK. Each image is framed in the shape of a COG-UK cog.
Images of the CVR staff involved in COG-UK. Each image is framed in the shape of a COG-UK cog.

COG-UK One Year On

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 00:00:00 GMT

One year on, we are joining our COG-UK partners in reflecting on what we have achieved together and recognising the contributions CVR is making to the consortium.

COVID-19 virus particles

MVLS News

Women under 50 and people who experienced severe disease had worse long-term outcomes following hospitalisation with COVID-19.

Diagram representing the interaction between SARS-CoV-2, Rhinovirus and epithelial cells.

MVLS Release

Infection with the common cold might provide some level of protection against COVID-19

The common cold virus could offer some level of protection against COVID-19 infection, according to a new study.

COVID-19 virus particles

MVLS Release

The evolution of SARS-CoV-2 from bats to humans shows a slow rate of change

Scientists looking at the evolution of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, have found that since December 2019 there has been very little ‘important’ genetic change observed in the hundreds of thousands of sequenced virus genomes.

Image from John's CVR Insight - Headhot (left) then selfie of the McLauchlan group (right)
Image from John's CVR Insight - Headhot (left) then selfie of the McLauchlan group (right)

The making of John McLauchlan, Professor of Viral Hepatitis

Thu, 11 Mar 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Born and raised in Glasgow, Prof John McLauchlan is what you would call a ‘local lad’. Now, John is associate director of the CVR, co-lead of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Research UK and director of the HCV Research UK biorepository. Here, we asked John about what got him into research at the CVR.

Image from Angela's CVR Insight - Angela next to the REBL sign (left) and in full CL3 gear (right)
Image from Angela's CVR Insight - Angela next to the REBL sign (left) and in full CL3 gear (right)

Managing the CVR’s Biosafety Lab: Angela Elliott

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 00:00:00 GMT

We talked to Angela Elliott, manager of the Containment Level 3 (CL3) Richard Elliott Biosafety Laboratories (REBL). She explains how she, as someone who describes herself as more creative than scientific, found her place in virology research at the CVR.

Image of Colin Loney using the widefield light microscope
Image of Colin Loney using the widefield light microscope

Managing the CVR’s Imaging Facilities: Colin Loney

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Colin Loney, Imaging Manager at the CVR, describes his journey from budding mathematician to technician to manager of a core facility in the centre.

Logo reads
Logo reads

International HPV Awareness Day #AskAboutHPV

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 00:00:00 GMT

We talked to CVR Professor and key member of the Scottish HPV Investigators’ Network (SHINe) Sheila Graham to learn about her research and #AskAboutHPV, and postdoctoral researcher Dr. Ilaria Epifano from the Graham group tells us about her work.

The logo for the MAGNETIC network

MVLS Release

UofG establishes interdisciplinary network to further links with Malawi

The University of Glasgow is furthering its long-term commitment to working with organisations in Malawi with the establishment of an interdisciplinary collaboration network, bringing together colleges from across the University.

Sarah McDonald in the lab handling samples, black and white image
Sarah McDonald in the lab handling samples, black and white image

From HCV to ISARIC 4C: Working at the CVR biobank

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Dumfries-born Biobank manager Dr. Sarah McDonald OBE developed an interest in “bench to bedside” research early in her undergraduate degree. Following a PhD in Reproductive Biology at the University of Edinburgh and 4 years as a research technician/lab manager in reproductive biology, Sarah joined the CVR. We reflect on how her role has evolved over time and especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A diagram of the coronavirus toolkit, including reverse genetics plasmids, virus isolates and antibodies

MVLS Release

New Coronavirus Toolkit allows for open access of antibodies and genetic tools to further global research into COVID-19

An international consortium, led by scientists in Scotland, have devised a Coronavirus Toolkit which gives researchers from across the world open access to materials, including antibodies and genetic tools, which can be easily and immediately ordered via an online portal – to further research into COVID-19.