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 Lead

Professor Ravindra K Gupta

Professor of Clinical Microbiology at Cambridge University
Email: st9@sanger.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.

Square image with 4 males, 2 above and 2 below

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.

Researchers talk in person and online to Long Road College students about their work - the students' faces have been blurred to protect their identity.

What does a career in health research look like? Our researchers share their work with local sixth-form students

March 11, 2025

Students at Long Road Sixth-Form College in Cambridge were last…

Genomics lab reading samples - NIHR Cambridge BRC image

Research collaboration offers new polygenic score insights in type 2 diabetes and related co-morbidities

March 11, 2025

An on-campus collaboration between NIHR Cambridge BRC-funded…

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…

Emergence and global spread of epidemic healthcare-associated Clostridium difficile

December 9, 2012

Intracontinental spread of human invasive Salmonella Typhimurium pathovariants in sub-Saharan Africa

September 30, 2012

Evidence for several waves of global transmission in the seventh cholera pandemic

August 24, 2011

High-though-put sequencing provides insights into variation and evolution in Salmonella typhi

July 27, 2008

The complete genome sequence of a multiple drug resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi CT18 provides insight into the evolution of host restriction and antibiotic resistance

October 25, 2001

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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Contact Us

Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre
Box 277
Hills Road
Cambridge
CB2 0QQ

Tel: 01223 348490

NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre @cambridgebrc ·

13 Feb

What is #Research #Culture and why should you be interested in it? Why not come along and find out...Thursday 27 February 16.15 - 18.00 ⬇️⬇️
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13 Feb

New #research from Cambridge @Cambridge_Uni shows the need to prioritise #vaccine boosters for those with weakned immune systems to #prevent emergence of new #Covid variants.
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12 Feb

Involved in research? Whatever your role/discipline, please spend 15-20 mins filling out a survey https://bit.ly/41aZ69J from @EthicsSciPublicKavli at @Cambridge_Uni on science engagement with the public? @CamUniEngage @engageWCS @StellenboschUni @CUH_NHS

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11 Feb

Happy #InternationalDayofWomenandGirlsinScience
To commemorate this annual celebration, we interviewed three women from our Cambridge BRC. Look out for Rona Smith's full interview on our website in the coming days..
@CUH_NHS @Cambridge_Uni @NIHRresearch @UNESCO @WomenScienceDay

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NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre @cambridgebrc ·

11 Feb

Happy #InternationalDayofWomenandGirlsinScience
For this global celebration of women in science, we interviewed 3 women from our Cambridge BRC. Look out for Jo McPeake's interview on our website in the coming days
@CUH_NHS @Cambridge_Uni @NIHRresearch @UNESCO @WomenScienceDay

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NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre @cambridgebrc ·

11 Feb

Happy #InternationalDayofWomenandGirlsinScience
To celebrate this global day, we interviewed three women from our Cambridge BRC. Look out for Deborah's full interview on our website in the coming days..
@CUH_NHS @Cambridge_Uni @NIHRresearch @BEARS_CI @UNESCO @WomenScienceDay

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Infectious Disease Threats

This Theme’s Focus

Theme Lead

Professor Ravindra K Gupta

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

Cambridge researchers honoured at Microbiology Society Annual Awards

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

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

Cambridge researchers listed among world’s most influential researchers

High blood pressure is directly linked to severe COVID-19

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

Cambridge researchers awarded Fellow status

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