News from April 2019

Dr Mark Fife and his team are investigating how the genes of host animals and viruses change during infection. This helps them to understand which genes are involved in defending the host from viral attack, which they can use to inform vaccine development. Their work on specific immune proteins…

Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have demonstrated that production and storage of fat is required for Marek’s disease virus (MDV) replication in chickens. Their research identifies new pathways that are involved in the development of the disease which can help generate control strategies to…

After more than two years preparation Dr Nick Lyons and Dr Georgina Limon-Vega from The Pirbright Institute commenced a Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) vaccine trial in Bulgaria on 5 March 2019. If successful, this could pave the way for the first licensed vaccine that is demonstrated to be…

A collaborative study led by The Pirbright Institute and Imperial College London has identified variations in the genes of chicken antiviral proteins called interferon-induced transmembrane proteins (IFITMs) which could have an impact on their ability to fight viral infections. This is the first…

The Pirbright Institute has announced the appointment of a new Chair of the Trustee Board and several new Trustees. Professor John Stephenson steps up from his position on the Trustee Board to take over as Chair of the Trustee Board from Professor Quintin McKellar CBE, who is stepping down. Dr Bryan…