Viral variation and pathogenesis of chronic viral hepatitis
The group has been active at the St. Mary's Campus of Imperial College since August 1987 and has a well established international reputation, based in a centre of active hepatology work that offers an ideal environment for clinical and science-based research.
Over the years the group has worked with all 5 hepatitis viruses, but in recent times has concentrated more and more on the hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV, HCV).
Research interests
Include the study of the mechanisms that favour viral persistence and evasion of the immune response during chronic infection. The effect on long term disease outcome of HBV variants arising during the natural history of the infection and those arising as a result of human intervention, through vaccination or antiviral treatment, have been the primary focus of the group.
Other research interests include:
- studies on the basic molecular biology of both HBV and HCV
- the role of various viral proteins in the replication of the viruses
- possible interference with cellular pathways and their role in hepatocarcinogenesis.
More recently, the group has concentrated on the role of genomic HCV mutations that have been identified in isolates from immune privileged sites such as peripheral blood mononuclear cells and brain tissue, and the effect of such mutations on the replication capacity of infectious clones of the virus.
Finally, the current outbreaks of acute HCV infection in HIV positive gay men have been the subject of various studies looking into viral quasispecies complexity that may determine recovery or progression to chronicity, as well as the breadth of the cellular immune responses in either outcome.
