Running Mad Professor

01/05/2026

At this crossroads in Melbourne - The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health. What a fabulous constellation of brilliant clinical and academic centres!

It was a pleasure to engage with so many brilliant and enthusiastic scientists and doctors during my recent trip to Melbourne.

Also a pleasure to catch some of the wonderful wildlife!

30/04/2026

As World Health Organization (WHO) World Immunization Week draws to a close, it’s worth reflecting on this year’s theme: “For every generation, vaccines work.”

Vaccines remain one of the most effective public health interventions we have - protecting individuals, families and communities across generations.

From measles to polio, and now newer and emerging threats, vaccination continues to save lives and reduce the burden on health systems worldwide.

But progress cannot be taken for granted. Vaccine confidence, equitable access, and continued research are all essential if we are to sustain and extend these gains.

Here in Liverpool, colleagues are contributing to this effort - both in understanding emerging infections and in strengthening public trust in vaccines. Recent work highlights the complexity of developing protection against evolving threats such as mpox, while also reinforcing the importance of clear communication and confidence in vaccination programmes.

Read more:

🔗 https://www.thepandemicinstitute.org/news/study-shows-mpox-vaccine-generates-immune-response-to-emerging-clade-ib-but-protection-levels-remain-unclear/

🔗 https://www.thepandemicinstitute.org/news/why-vaccine-confidence-matters-a-qa-with-professor-tom-solomon/

🔗 https://youtu.be/lL_tdWkD6ig?si=7ebOVgHUwMixuJh2

As we look ahead, the message is simple: vaccines work - but only if people can access them and trust them. That remains our shared responsibility.

28/04/2026

New research led by Professor Julian Hiscox at the University of Liverpool, with support from The Pandemic Institute and global collaborators, has identified key mutations in the MERS-CoV Spike protein that may influence how the virus infects cells and evades immune responses.

By analysing 584 viral sequences (2012–2024), the team uncovered mutations that can enhance cell fusion and reduce antibody neutralisation -two factors that could increase transmissibility and impact future vaccine effectiveness. Notably, one mutation showed both effects, underlining the importance of closely monitoring viral evolution.

While MERS-CoV currently causes limited outbreaks, its high mortality rate and ongoing circulation highlight the need for continued surveillance and rapid-response research tools.

Read the full article here: https://www.thepandemicinstitute.org/news/new-research-sheds-light-on-how-mers-virus-mutations-could-affect-future-outbreak-risk/

New research has identified key mutations in the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) that may influence how easily the virus infects cells and evades immune responses, offering important insights for pandemic preparedness.

27/04/2026

We’ve just released our preprint: Data-Driven Framework to Maximise the Value of Testing in Epidemic Contexts

Testing is central to epidemic response - but its impact depends on how well we handle its complexity in practice.

Drawing on interdisciplinary expert consultation and lessons from SARS-CoV-2 community testing in the UK (alongside international experience), we propose a data-driven framework to support more effective and equitable testing.

The framework focuses on four core components:
• Defining the purpose of testing
• Selecting and evaluating appropriate technologies
• Designing engagement and implementation
• Enabling ongoing monitoring, evaluation, and optimisation

A key point: testing only delivers value when these elements are aligned and adapted as contexts change.

Building this capability before the next emergency should be a core part of pandemic preparedness.

🔗 https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6629158

24/04/2026

How is the evidence on maternal risk reshaping clinical practice?
How are digital pathways changing patient access and engagement?
What does best practice look like as conditions like TB re-emerge in modern healthcare?

The early release programme for Royal College of Physicians Medicine 2026 is now available.

See what’s on the agenda: https://rcpmedicine.co.uk/2026

🚨The Medicine 2026 early release programme is now live!

Start your conference experience with the latest updates in obesity and maternal health, genitourinary medicine, tuberculosis and more.

These sessions have been curated to provide an extra 5 hours’ worth of CPD-accredited content that can be enjoyed ahead of the live conference taking place on Wednesday 13 – Thursday 14 May.

🔗Book your place and start learning today: https://rcpmedicine.co.uk/2026

22/04/2026

The Pandemic Institute Public Steering Group recently came together for its fifth session, continuing an important collaboration between community members and researchers to shape more inclusive and impactful public health work.

Facilitated by Glenn Skelhorn from The Thinker CIC, the group explore research by Dr Daniel Hungerford on vaccine inequalities. His work underscored a critical issue: access to vaccines is not equal. The group also explored proposed research to shift toward a more risk-based, area-level approach to vaccines.

Read more here: https://www.thepandemicinstitute.org/news/public-steering-group-meet-to-discuss-vaccine-research/

The Pandemic Institute Public Steering Group recently met for its fifth session, bringing together community members and researchers to review ongoing work and discuss a new study focused on vaccine inequalities.

20/04/2026

Congratulations to Dr Eric Lucas at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine - LSTM on securing a prestigious Springboard award from the Academy of Medical Sciences.

This scheme plays a vital role in supporting early career researchers as they take their first steps as independent group leaders - backing bold, curiosity-driven science that underpins future breakthroughs.

Dr Lucas’s work on the genetic basis of insecticide resistance in malaria mosquitoes is exactly the kind of foundational research we need if we are to stay ahead of evolving global health threats.

It’s also a strong example of high-impact research emerging from Liverpool, continuing a long tradition of scientific excellence with global relevance.

https://lstmed.ac.uk/news/eric-lucas-receives-prestigious-springboard-funding

LSTM researcher Eric Lucas has received Springboard funding to advance research into insecticide resistance and strengthen global vector control efforts.

16/04/2026

Honoured to attend College Day 2026 at the Royal College of Physicians in Regent’s Park.

This year marked a truly historic moment for the College, with collegiate members voting for the first time in its 500-year history to elect officers and members of Council.

It was encouraging to see strong engagement across the elections, alongside important appointments including the new Vice President for Education and Training, Vice President for Wales (in a pioneering job-share model), and new members of Council. The uncontested presidential election also took place on College Day, with incumbent President Professor Mumtaz Patel as the only nominee - congratulations on her continued leadership.

These roles will be central to guiding education, training, and clinical standards at a time of significant change for the NHS and medical workforce.

Read more in full - https://www.rcp.ac.uk/109634

16/04/2026

16/04/2026

Backpacking abroad? 🦟🦠
In some destinations mosquitoes can carry chikungunya, a virus known for causing severe joint pain. With travel related cases in England at a 10 year high, read our blog for advice on prevention and treatment.
🔗 https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2025/08/07/what-are-the-symptoms-of-the-chikungunya-virus-and-is-there-a-vaccine/

15/04/2026

New research supported by the EU Decipher Mpox consortium and The Pandemic Institute provides important early insights into how well the existing MVA-BN vaccine performs against emerging mpox strains.

The study shows that while vaccination generates neutralising antibodies against both established (clade IIb) and emerging (clade Ib) strains, responses to clade Ib were lower - highlighting the need for continued research as the virus evolves.

With mpox cases continuing to fluctuate in the UK, these findings reinforce the importance of vaccination, ongoing surveillance, and evidence-driven public health strategies.

Read the full study: https://www.thepandemicinstitute.org/news/study-shows-mpox-vaccine-generates-immune-response-to-emerging-clade-ib-but-protection-levels-remain-unclear/

A new UK-based study funded by the EU Decipher Mpox consortium and The Pandemic Institute has provided early insights into how well the existing mpox vaccine, MVA-BN, may protect against emerging strains of the virus, offering important evidence to inform future public health responses.

14/04/2026

Malaria control has long depended on insecticide-treated bed nets, but new work from University of Liverpool and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine - LSTM highlights an important nuance: performance is not determined solely by how much insecticide is present, but by how it is presented at the surface.

By combining surface chemistry, imaging, and behavioural analysis, the team shows that coating composition can meaningfully alter mosquito response and net efficacy - even when insecticide levels meet specification.

A key message from the study is that environmental sustainability and malaria control must advance together, and that multidisciplinary approaches are essential - bringing together chemical composition, surface properties, and biological outcomes to fully understand and improve performance.

This is a fascinating and highly practical piece of research that sharpens how we think about vector control design and evaluation.

Read the full article here: https://news.liverpool.ac.uk/2026/04/09/liverpool-scientists-uncover-how-surface-chemistry-impacts-the-performance-of-malaria-nets/

Liverpool scientists uncover how surface chemistry impacts the performance of malaria nets