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November was a very busy month for Edinburgh Infectious Diseases with three big events occuring in close proximity to one another: the annual Winter Lecture, World AMR Awareness Week and the UK Mission to the EU One Health Fair in Brussels.

A collection of publication highlights from the Edinburgh Infectious Diseases network over the past month.

November 2023: Kenyan Policy fellows, Evelyn Wesangula and Romona Ndanyi, collaborated on a documentary that explores the complexities of AMR in Kenya, aiming to captivate the attention of both policymakers and the general public.

Next phase of UK collaboration builds on discoveries around disease immunity, transmission and evolution. 

International initiative helps early career scientists develop their skills in studying infectious diseases.

A collection of publication highlights from the Edinburgh Infectious Diseases network over the past month.

Scientists have used gene editing techniques to identify and change parts of chicken DNA that could limit the spread of the bird flu virus in the animals.

Researchers from Professor Sarah Reece's lab in the School of Biological Sciences are engaging with teachers and pupils across Scotland to talk about mosquitos, malaria parasites and body clocks.

A collection of publication highlights from the Edinburgh Infectious Diseases network over the past month.

The Max Planck-Humboldt medal 2023 has been awarded to Amy Buck, Professor of RNA and Infection Biology, for her research into inter-species communication via RNA. The medal will be presented this November in Berlin. 

A compilation of notable publication highlights from the Edinburgh Infectious Diseases network over the past month.

Efforts to develop a field-side test for animal trypanosomiasis could transform management of the common, costly infection in smallholder farms. 

Lab study pinpoints immunity-linked gene in pigs that is required for African Swine Fever virus to replicate. 

Inoculation within the first month of life is effective, offering greater scope for protecting calves against disease. 

Moredun Research Institute (MRI), in collaboration with French animal health company Ceva Sante Animale (Ceva), have been awarded £900,000 (80% funded) to develop new vaccines that target the viruses and bacteria responsible for bovine respiratory disease (BRD).

Pilot study shows a novel contact tracing app could help protect groups at risk of catching and spreading infectious diseases in the Global South.

Newly discovered mechanism enables bacteria to rapidly evolve, and could inform phage therapy.

Novel system speeds diagnosis of bacterial infections in dogs, enabling effective choice of treatment. 

Scotland’s White Gypsy/Traveller ethnic minority group were at greater risk of Covid-19 hospitalisation or death than the majority of the population, research reveals.

University of Edinburgh hosts Alumni Fleming Fund Fellows from Malawi, accompanied by Dr. Collins Mitambo, Head of Research at the Ministry of Health.

Publication highlights from the Edinburgh Infectious Diseases network in the past month.

Scientists at the University of Edinburgh will receive £46.3 million from the Medical Research Council (MRC) to support ongoing activity at the MRC Human Genetics Unit.

Molecular material associated with growth, fertility, and infection risk in dairy calves could serve as indicator of productivity in cows.

Newly identified gene shown to prevent most strains of bird flu from causing infection in humans.

A 50-year study of red deer on a remote Scottish island is providing new insights into evolution in action and the impact of climate change in the natural world.

Explore the noteworthy publications from Edinburgh Infectious Diseases in the past month.

Details about the programme, Ker Memorial Speaker and Prize Winner, and voting arrangements for the poster sessions for this year's Annual Symposium

Unveiling cattle immune system diversity and disease resistance potential through DNA chemical markers

We are delighted to announce that Dr Verity Hill, from Prof Andrew Rambaut's lab in the School of Biological Sciences, is the winner of this year's prize for her work on Ebola and SARS-CoV-2.

The Ker Memorial Prize is awarded annually for the best PhD thesis in infectious diseases at the University of Edinburgh.

A leading specialist in veterinary public health and population medicine has been appointed as the new Head of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies.

A compilation of notable publication highlights from the Edinburgh Infectious Diseases network over the past month.

Weakening virus by amending genetic code promises route to large-scale production of live vaccines. 

The OECD-CRP Symposium on AMR in Livestock Production in a One Health Context was held in Edinburgh on 22-24 May 2023.

A digest of the publication highlights from across the Edinburgh Infectious Diseases network over the past month.

The Edinburgh Science Festival ran a vibrant programme of activities for all ages at the National Museum of Scotland during the Easter break in April 2023.

A group of outstanding early career researchers have been awarded one of the University of Edinburgh’s most prestigious fellowships.

Prestigious awards from University and BBSRC nurture outstanding scientists and pioneering projects. 

The group of 24 students were in Edinburgh as part of a study tour to learn about  "Science: Study, Research and Life. A comparison of the systems in Germany and Great Britain ".

Lasting conservation measures targeted at most vulnerable species are recommended in a report for the Scottish Government.

We explore publication highlights from across Edinburgh Infectious Diseases, March 2023.

A common virus, alongside an underlying genetic predisposition, is likely to have played a key role in the recent worldwide outbreak of acute hepatitis in children.

A video-game based model of infectious disease spread will form the basis of a pilot public engagement project that aims to engage Scottish communities with public health research data.

A successful Africa-led global health research programme, contributing to World Health Organisation (WHO) policy development, has shared the key to its success and is calling for a shift in the centre of gravity of health research, designed to benefit developing countries.

Covid-19 vaccination does not cause concerning changes to periods, research has found.

Leading edge technology has uncovered secrets about a world-renowned fossil hoard that could offer vital clues about early life on earth.

A multi-year commitment to explore innovative educational opportunities for African students and build research partnerships across the African continent has been announced by the University of Edinburgh.

Do cesarean-born babies miss out on essential microbes? New evidence suggests that the answer may be “no.”

Most fines for Covid rule breaches were issued when England was in its third national lockdown and Wales was in its second, research shows.

Response to infection in birds from chickens to crows points to biological factors linked to disease resistance.

We explore publication highlights from across Edinburgh Infectious Diseases, Feb 2023.

The higher prevalence of common cold viruses in Africa may have helped the continent experience relatively lower death rates from Covid-19, a study of people in Zimbabwe suggests.

Recent Covid-19 clinical trial results from Edinburgh Infectious Diseases

Two scientists who made important contributions to the development of Covid-19 vaccines have received a prestigious award from the University of Edinburgh.

Featuring reflections of some of the stories that took place across Edinburgh Infectious Diseases – Covid-19 risks and recovery plans, liver regrowth by leprosy bacteria, the evolution of antibiotic resistance and more.

Evolutionary study of bacteria that cause a common infection of cattle reveals their origin and spread via ocean trade links, shedding light on modern-day disease.

Data from Scotland’s Covid-19 Wastewater Programme could offer future insights into the pandemic, its long-term health impacts and help tackle other viruses.

The method by which a baby was delivered is associated with how its immune system will respond to two key childhood vaccines, research suggests.

Leprosy is one of the world’s oldest and most persistent diseases but the bacteria that cause it may also have the surprising ability to grow and regenerate a vital organ.

To mark World Antibiotic Awareness Week 2022, on 21 November 2022 the Edinburgh AMR Forum is hosting the AMR showcase.

Routine sampling of water supplies and genomic sequencing – determination of the entire genetic makeup - of Legionella bacteria could play a key role in identifying the source of Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks, research suggests.

A new study fully documents the development of a Digital Contact Tracing tool for use on the African continent.

Covid-19 recovery plans should focus on healthier diets as much as economic growth to prevent huge numbers of avoidable deaths, research suggests.

Together Again, the 11th Annual Symposium from Edinburgh Infectious Diseases, was held on Thursday 23 June at the Roslin Institute.

Many congratulations to Prof Keith Matthews, chair of Parasite Biology in the School of Biological Science, who has received the award for seminal contributions to the field.

The annual prize for the most outstanding PhD thesis in Infectious Diseases has been awarded to Mabel Tettey in the School of Biological Sciences.

Data-driven, One Health approach puts Goa on target to eliminate disease and save lives.

A new multi-million pound research programme to develop treatments for lung infections such as Covid-19 and future pandemics has been announced at the University of Edinburgh with support from a significant donation by Baillie Gifford.  

UK Research Excellence Framework results affirm outstanding research environment and impact on society.

The School of Biological Sciences is ranked fifth in the UK, and top ranked in Scotland, for the quality and breadth of its research, known as research power, by Times Higher Education.

Edinburgh’s position as one of the UK’s leading research universities has been reaffirmed by the results of the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF).

A recent paper demonstrates how infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance can be shared between humans and animals in an urban environment.

Researchers in Edinburgh have solved a 100-year-old mystery about the evolutionary links between malaria parasites that infect humans and chimpanzees.

The Fleming Fund supports training and capacity building for surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in low and middle income countries.

The 11th Annual Edinburgh Infectious Diseases Symposium will be held on Thursday 23 June 2022 - please save-the-date.

Adults in hospital who have Covid-19 and the flu at the same time are at much greater risk of severe disease and death compared with patients who have Covid-19 alone or with other viruses, research shows.

The Moredun Research Institute Moredun has released a short animation to help inform and educate people about Toxoplasma gondii.

Treating babies with antibiotics in the first week of life is linked with a decrease in healthy bacteria necessary to digest milk and an increase in antimicrobial resistance, research suggests.

The University of Edinburgh's work with the Fleming Fund fellowship Scheme has been highlighted by the conference organised by the International Centre for AMR Solutions (ICARS).

Asymptomatic viral infections in the first days and weeks of a baby’s life are associated with an increased risk of respiratory infections later in life, research suggests.

Bacteria with antibiotic resistance infected wildlife centuries ago, DNA family tree shows.

A large-scale study of bacterial DNA samples had uncovered the significance of a gene in causing human infections.

An immune disease that can damage vital organs – and is supposedly rare in young people – is more common than previously thought among Black children, a study from the School of Biological Sciences suggests.

The novel use of genetic contact tracing to identify the source of a bovine tuberculosis outbreak could signal a new approach in managing the disease, a study suggests.

This year we are delighted to have Sir Jeremy Farrar, Director of the Wellcome Trust, giving our annual public Winter Lecture on Tuesday 16 November.

Edinburgh Infectious Diseases is delighted to announce that we are now accepting applications for the 2022 cohorts of students on two Wellcome Trust funded 4-year PhD programmes.

Vaccination is over 90 per cent effective at preventing deaths from the Delta variant of Covid-19, according to the first country-level data on mortality.

Patients at risk of developing severe Covid-19 symptoms have been successfully treated at an early stage thanks to the use of a remote monitoring service.

Countries in Africa assessed as being least vulnerable to an epidemic were the worst affected by Covid-19, new research suggests.

We are delighted to open the call for speakers at the first Edinburgh Infectious Diseases Early Career Researcher Symposium.

A new vaccine being developed against ovine enzootic abortion by scientists at the Moredun Research Institute has shown very promising results in laboratory trials.

Here we highlight some of the groundbreaking researchers based in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Edinburgh who are tackling malaria.

A new study reveals that the negative impacts of schistosome infection on early child development and educational attainment can be reversed within 6 months after treatment with the drug praziquantel.

Edinburgh researchers are part of an international consortium who have discovered 13 DNA sequences that are associated with people developing the most severe form of Covid-19.

We were delighted to host our virtual Annual Symposium on Wednesday 24 June 2021.

A potentially more accurate, less invasive and cheaper method of screening for Covid-19 is being piloted at the University of Edinburgh.

The Delta variant of Covid-19 is associated with approximately double the risk of hospitalisation compared with the Alpha variant, according to a new nationwide study.

Derick Osakunor was awarded the prize for his work with Prof Francisca Mutapi on the treatment and control of Schistosomiasis in preschool aged children.

A condition that affects the blood, known as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), may be associated the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in rare cases, research suggests.

Professor Fitzpatrick will take up the new advisory role with the Scottish Government on 14 June 2021.

The Tracking and Modelling for Scotland dashboard provides interactive detailed weekly maps to track the spread of COVID-19 across the region, to help inform control strategies.

A light-activated drug that can enter and kill bacterial and cancer cells without harming nearby healthy cells has been tested successfully.

We are delighted that we will be hosting our annual symposium on Wednesday 24 June 2021. Registration is now open!

Scientists are developing a coronavirus early warning system that could prevent future lockdowns by combining data on vaccine uptake with wastewater testing.

Edinburgh Infectious Diseaes hosted a workshop on 29 April 2021 exploring key topics in transmission biology.

Professor Loeske Kruuk, who will be joining the School of Biological Sciences later in 2021, has been awarded a European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant, to study evolution in wild animal populations.

Increased exposure to the sun’s rays – specifically UVA - could act as a simple public health intervention if further research establishes it causes a reduction in mortality rates, experts say.

A team led by researchers at the Roslin Institute will investigate the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a condition similar to BSE in cattle, in European deer.

Global Health Professor to join the newest class of 20 global visionaries, sharing their big ideas throughout the events planned for 2021.

Scientists have discovered that tracking malaria as it develops in humans is a powerful way to detect how the malaria parasite causes a range of infection outcomes in its host.

You are most welcome to join this online Edinburgh Infectious Diseases workshop on Thursday 29 April. Please register on Eventbrite.

Key insights on how malaria immunity develops after repeated infections could lead to new vaccine strategies and change the approach to tackling other infectious diseases, a study has found.

Vaccination has been linked to a substantial reduction in the risk of Covid-19 admissions to Scotland’s hospitals, landmark research suggests.

The discovery that in real-world conditions bacteria, similar to animals, cooperate and selflessly act for the greater good of the group, could help scientists to predict how helpful and harmful strains behave.

Professor Loeske Kruuk will return to the School of Biological Sciences after being awarded a Royal Society Research Professorship, the Royal Society’s premier research award.

Sara will receive £1.8M over the next five year to work on the project which seeks to understand the contribution of the miRNA-interferon interaction to human disease.

Prof Keith Matthews, member of Edinburgh Infectious Diseases in the School of Biological Sciences, will receive £2.5M over the next 5 years to support research into the African trypanosomes that cause sleeping sickness in humans and animals.

More people could be protected from life-threatening rabies thanks to an agile approach to dog vaccination using smart phone technology to spot areas of low vaccination coverage in real time.

Potential treatments for Covid-19 have been identified after the discovery of five genes associated with the most severe form of the disease.

Projects led by Amy Buck and Steven Spoel have been awarded funding by the European Research Council (ERC) in its latest Consolidator Grant competition for mid-career researchers.

As this incredible year draws to a close, we would like to share with you some of the highlights for Edinburgh Infectious Diseases over the past 18 months.

All the talks from the 9th Annual Edinburgh Infectious Diseases Symposium are now available to watch again.

2020 Edinburgh Infectious Diseases Winter Lecture: We are delighted to invite you to our Annual Winter Lecture, which this year will be given by Dr Kenneth Baillie on Wednesday 25 November at 5.30 pm.

On the eve of the 2020 World One Health Congress, the University of Edinburgh has launched an online showcase of our One Health approach to improving livelihoods around the world.

A drug first developed more than 30 years ago is to have its effectiveness at reducing the progression of Covid-19 trialed in people who are self-isolating after testing positive for the disease.

A collaboration between scientists in Scotland and The Netherlands has found that a lack of ‘social distancing’ between sheep is almost exclusively responsible for the spread of the virus that causes the chronic viral disease maedi-visna.

Edinburgh Infectious Diseases is delighted to announce that we are now accepting applications for the 2021 cohorts of students on two Wellcome Trust funded 4-year PhD programmes.

We are delighted to announce that participants can now register for the 9th Annual Edinburgh Infectious Diseases Symposium on 10 and 11 November 2020.

The secret of how the Dantu genetic blood variant helps to protect against malaria has been revealed for the first time by scientists at the University of Edinburgh, in collaboration with colleagues at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the University of Cambridge and the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kenya.

A grant worth almost half a million pounds has been awarded to the Moredun Research Institute to develop a novel way of studying poultry red mites which greatly reduces the number of hens required.

The management of fungal infections in plants and humans could be transformed by a breakthrough in understanding how fungi develop resistance to drugs.

People who are admitted to hospital with Covid-19 can be divided into four distinct groups, according to data from the world’s largest study of patients with the disease.

Children and teenagers are less likely than adults to develop severe Covid-19 or die from the disease, according to the world’s largest study of hospital patients with Covid-19.

Detailed knowledge of the genetic code of the novel coronavirus could support efforts to develop a vaccine.

Roslin Technologies, the UK’s specialist AgTech venture builder, is developing a unique vehicle to deliver vaccines to sheep and goats, using technology generated from a harmless single cell parasite found on a remote island in the North Atlantic.

Leading scientists from Universities of Edinburgh and Dundee have joined a €77.7 million initiative to find a treatment for Covid-19 and are optimistic progress can be made.

People who wear a face mask significantly lower the risk of spreading Covid-19 to others through speaking and coughing, suggests research from the University of Edinburgh.

Nylon manufacture could be revolutionised by the discovery that bacteria can make a key chemical involved in the process, without emitting harmful greenhouse gases.

Global wildlife experts are calling for improvements to how pathogens are tested and tracked in wildlife, to reduce the risk of future pandemics.

Moredun Research Institute and Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) are working together to support the NHS by providing extra capacity for vital testing of samples within their laboratory facilities at Pentlands Science Park in Midlothian.

Key research involving the University of Edinburgh, into Covid-19’s impact on the nervous system, shows stroke is the most commonly reported neurological complication affecting patients hospitalised by the virus.

A simple salt water solution may help to reduce the early symptoms and progression of Covid-19, research suggests.

The second Edinburgh Coronavirus workshop – Covid-19: three-months on – was held on 23 June 2020, to discuss work that is contributing to our understanding and response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Discovery of why timing matters to malaria parasites reveals a vulnerability that could be exploited for future treatment strategies.

On Tuesday 23 June 2020 Edinburgh Infectious Diseases will host a second workshop on the current research and clinical activities in Edinburgh that are addressing the SARS-CoV-2/Covid-19 pandemic.

New treatments for flu could emerge from find of human genes targeted by flu viruses.

Young people aged from 12 to 17 years old in Scotland are being asked to share their views and experiences of how the Covid-19 pandemic is affecting their lives.

A majority of people living in Scotland are confident the Scottish Government is capable of stopping a further outbreak of Covid-19, a survey suggests.

The Edinburgh Protein Production Facility (EPPF) has joined a national consortium to provide medically important proteins that will aid coronavirus research.

New work by University of Edinburgh PhD student and the EcoHealth Alliance has provided the first broadly applicable model to estimate patterns of viral sharing globally – for all mammal species and all known viruses.

Easing the UK’s Covid-19 lockdown could begin by strengthening protection for the most vulnerable while relaxing restrictions for everyone else, experts suggest.

Members of Edinburgh Infectious Diseases have made translations of the presentations at the Edinburgh Coronavirus Workshop available in over twenty languages.

Reduced lung function and inflamed tissue under the skin and around internal organs could be linked to the increased risk, researchers say. Both factors can trigger a life-threatening over-reaction of the body’s immune response that causes harm to patients, the study suggests.

Keith Matthews, Professor of Parasite Biology in the Institute of Immunology and Infection Research at the University of Edinburgh, has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in recognition of his outstanding contribution to science.

Innovative face shields for key workers fighting Covid-19 can be made more quickly than other guards thanks to laser-cutting technology.

Scientists, laboratory space and equipment from the University of Edinburgh are being used to support NHS Lothian’s testing efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

A survey has been launched to capture how Covid-19 is affecting the mood of the nation.

Academics from CAHSS are contributing informed opinion and comment about the Covid-19 pandemic on a new blogsite.

Up to 150 researchers at the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Inflammation Research are being re-deployed to work on a project that aims to test existing and experimental drugs to find a treatment for Covid-19.

Students from the Wellcome Trust PhD programme in Hosts, Pathogens and Global Health at the University of Edinburgh are taking on projects to help answer key questions in the Covid-19 pandemic.