Infectious Disease Threats

This Theme’s Focus

COVID-19 vaccine responses in high-risk populations
Detection of new viral and bacterial threats and clinical risk factors
Characterisation of resistant bacterial and virus variants to inform treatment and vaccine design

Cambridge has a strong track record in microbiology and infectious disease research and is internationally renowned for genomic medicine. This theme aims to combine these two areas of expertise to improve detection, prevention and treatment of existing infectious diseases and help to better prepare for future pandemics.

Translating our research discoveries to the clinic or public health is at the centre of our ethos and our investigators have contributed broadly in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This pandemic has highlighted the need for new approaches to understand new and existing infection threats and provide a rapid pathway for new solutions.

For example, we have pioneered the use of genomics to trace outbreaks of COVID in hospitals and now are the centre of COG-UK and SARS-CoV-2 sequencing, allowing our investigators to discover how new variants emerge and their biological properties.

Our research will focus on three key areas, developing new vaccines and treatment strategies for pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2, improving the response of older people to vaccines and bolstering our response to drug-resistant bacteria.

Our approach will involve using genomic surveillance to detect and identify the viruses and other pathogens representing the biggest threats. We will be developing a data and sample repository to help us better understand the epidemiological and clinical nature of infections, and creating a resource for researchers to develop the next generation of solutions.

Theme Leads

Professor Ravindra K Gupta

Professor of Clinical Microbiology at Cambridge University
Email: rkg20@cam.ac.uk

Dr Theodore Gouliouris

Consultant in Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
Email: tg208@cam.ac.uk

Meet our researchers

Here are some of the areas we are researching:

Experimental medicine for COVID-19

New vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 are emerging but a major concern is the rapid emergence of highly-resistant virus strains that could compromise global COVID-19 efforts.

It is important to understand how virus variants emerge so that we can develop strategies to mitigate against new variants and keep vulnerable immunosuppressed patients safe.

We are leading a national trial, PROTECT-V, testing the antibody sotrovimab as a prophylaxis (something which prevents the spread of disease) in more than 1,000 immune-suppressed individuals.

At the same time we are working with people living with immunosuppression across our region, to understand the challenges they and their families face regarding infectious diseases like COVID-19, and involve them in developing study protocols and patient information materials.

Evaluating and boosting COVID-19 vaccine responses in the elderly

The elderly have been largely excluded from major vaccine trials, and existing population-based studies lack age-specific detail – yet this is the group most at risk from COVID-19 and at higher risk of severe disease or death despite vaccination.

To ensure inclusion of appropriate groups, our researchers are undertaking public engagement activities in care homes and day-care centres region-wide, particularly in the more deprived areas such as Corby, where COVID-19 transmission is high, and coastal towns such as Kings Lynn which have high densities of elderly residents.

Alongside this programme, we will take the chance to explore vaccine hesitancy in the families and carers of the elderly,
and in the Traveller communities of Fenland.

Community surveillance for multi-resistant bacteria and viruses

It’s essential to track serious infections if we are to understand how they are spreading and how they might be controlled to avoid illness and death.

Through genomic surveillance (where we look at routinely collected microbiological samples, linked to hospital electronic health records) we can detect new variants and increase our understanding of how they evolve and spread.

We are working closely with hospital laboratories and NIHR BioResource to set up a system to routinely access clinical samples and organisms, on which we can perform genomic surveillance and microbiome analysis to identify key emerging bacterial and viral pathogens.

This will help us develop new therapeutic approaches for emerging pathogens including MDR (multi-drug resistant) bacteria.

Latest News

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Cambridge researchers honoured at Microbiology Society Annual Awards

April 19, 2023

Congratulations to Professors Sharon Peacock and Ravindra Gupta…

Sneezing - Image from Mojpe from Pixabay

Gone fishing: highly accurate test for common respiratory viruses uses DNA as ‘bait’

January 17, 2023

Research supported by NIHR Cambridge BRC has led to a new test…

Coronavirus. Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay.

Blood thinning drug to treat recovery from severe Covid is not effective

November 30, 2022

A Cambridge-led trial has found that a drug used to reduce the risk of blood clots does not help patients recovering from moderate and severe Covid.

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Cambridge researchers listed among world’s most influential researchers

November 21, 2022

Congratulations to our NIHR Cambridge BRC theme leads who have been named in the Clarivate listings of the ‘world’s most influential researchers.’

Patient having their blood test taken at NIHR Cambridge CRF - NIHR Cambridge BRC image

High blood pressure is directly linked to severe COVID-19

November 14, 2022

A new study has shown people with high blood pressure are more likely to be admitted to hospital or die from COVID-19, regardless of other factors such as age, sex, ethnicity or BMI.

Referrals to long COVID clinic fell by 79% following roll-out of the vaccine

October 7, 2022

Referrals to Cambridge’s long COVID clinic fell dramatically in the period August 2021 to June 2022, which researchers say is likely due to the successful rollout of the vaccine.

Cambridge researchers awarded Fellow status

May 11, 2022

Eight Cambridge researchers are elected as Fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences.

An airfilter machine and Dr Vilas Navapurkar who led the study

Using air filters on hospital wards remove almost all airborne Covid virus

November 17, 2021

A new study has found placing air filtration machines in COVID-19 wards at Addenbrooke's Hospital, removed almost all traces of airborne SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Previous Next

Infectious Disease Threats Case Studies

Patient Having Consultation With Female Doctor In Office

Prioritise vaccine boosters for those with weakened immune systems to prevent emergence of new Covid variants say Cambridge scientists

February 13, 2025

Microscope with samples - NIHR Cambridge BRC image

Could diphtheria become a ‘major global threat’ again as it evolves?

October 16, 2024

In an international study with the UK and India, researchers…

Research scientist in lab: This image was purchased from Abobe Stock with a lifetime usage.

A DNA test that can identify secondary infections in COVID-19 patients

October 16, 2024

Researchers have been able to develop a DNA test to quickly…

How DNA technologies are helping pneumonia patients fight back

October 16, 2024

Many patients who are admitted to intensive care show signs…

Tablets - Image from Cambridge University Health Partners

Using whole genome sequencing to fight common bugs

October 16, 2024

Outbreaks of infections of any type within hospitals and…

Previous Next

Infectious Disease Threats Publications

Emergence of an extensively drug-resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi clone harboring a promiscuous plasmid encoding resistance to fluoroquinolones and third-generation cephalosporins

February 20, 2018

Antimicrobial resistance in human populations: challenges and opportunities

May 10, 2017

Emergence of host-adapted Salmonella enteritidis through rapid evolution in an immunocompromised

January 25, 2016

Phylogeographical analysis of the dominant multidrug-resistant H58 clade of Salmonella Typhi identifies inter- and intracontinental transmission events

May 11, 2015

Identification of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) clades with long-term global distribution

November 10, 2014

The NIHR Cambridge BRC is part of the NIHR and hosted by Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with the University of Cambridge. We are at the heart of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Europe’s largest health research area.

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8 Jan

The Cambridge-led IVORY trial has shown that targeting the immune system, by giving a low-dose of aldesleukin, could prevent future heart attacks by nearly 8%.

Learn more about the study >>https://bit.ly/4aLzW6Q

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6 Jan

📣 The Milner Consortium Call returns with its sixth call for research proposals. Academic researchers – join our Q&A webinar to learn more and ask questions about the Call!

🗓️ 22 Jan ⏰ 10am 📍 Online

🔗 Register: https://ow.ly/5PMb50XCIuF

🔗 More info: http://www.milner.cam.ac.uk/consortiumcall/

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5 Jan

👉 Want to help shape a future trial focused on preventing falls in older people?
👉 Are you an older adult and/or family member/carer? 👉 Free on Wed 21st Jan 2026 at 13.30 for an online group?
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31 Dec

🎉Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year!🎉
Thinking of making a #NewYearsResolution?
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Live in the #EastOfEngland?
Then why not join our Patient & Public Involvement Panel >> https://bit.ly/3LlRX1c
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24 Dec

Merry Christmas and a happy #NewYear from the #NIHR #Cambridge BRC!!
#Thankyou to all our amazing staff, everyone who has supported us and all those who took part in #research this year!
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22 Dec

🥳 As 2025 draws to a close, we’ve put together a snapshot of some of our key research stories over the year.
🥳 We’d like to thank everyone who took part in, or contributed to our research over 2025!
To learn more >>
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Infectious Disease Threats

This Theme’s Focus

Theme Leads

Professor Ravindra K Gupta

Dr Theodore Gouliouris

Here are some of the areas we are researching:

Experimental medicine for COVID-19

Evaluating and boosting COVID-19 vaccine responses in the elderly

Community surveillance for multi-resistant bacteria and viruses

Latest News

Infectious Disease Threats Case Studies

Infectious Disease Threats Publications

Contact Us

Useful Links