News Archive

£5.5M funding boost for emerging and zoonotic infections research

Thu, 07 November 2024

UKHSA awards Avian Influenza research grants

Mon, 04 March 2024

We were delighted to award funding for four projects to focus on Avian Influenza research. A total pot of £215,000 has been allocated by the HPRU-EZI centre at UKHSA to researchers at the University of Liverpool, LSTM and UKHSA.

2024 HPRU-EZI Annual Scientific Meeting to take place in Liverpool in May

Mon, 19 February 2024

We are pleased to announce that our next Annual Scientific Meeting will take place in Liverpool on 7th/8th/9th May 2024, hosted by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. The gathering will be open to all staff and members of the Unit. If you have any specific questions, please contact hpruezi@liverpool.ac.uk.

International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2024 – Collaboration Beyond Boundaries

Mon, 05 February 2024

Registration is open for the International Pandemic Sciences 2024 – Collaboration Beyond Boundaries on 1 and 2 July 2024.

NeuroID 2024 registration opens

Wed, 17 January 2024

The Liverpool Neurological Infectious Diseases Course (NeuroID) is an approved 2-day CPD course aimed at clinicians of all grades.

Lyme-UK Study to continue in 2024

Mon, 11 December 2023

The HPRU-EZI's Lyme-UK Study has secured further funding to continue recruitment in 2024, under the leadership of Lucy Delaney and Prof Neil French at the University of Liverpool.

Avian Influenza Funding Call (Deadline 15th Jan 2024)

Wed, 29 November 2023

The HPRU in Emerging & Zoonotic Infections, in collaboration with the The Pandemic Institute (TPI) in Liverpool and the Pandemic Sciences Institute (PSI) in Oxford are announcing a combined funding call of £750,000 for research on Avian Influenza, in partnership with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). The aim of the investment is to address critical research gaps in Avian Influenza knowledge, especially highly pathogenic Avian Influenza, as identified by UKHSA.

HPRU-EZI Knowledge Mobilisation team publishes 'Pandemic-Proof Cities' paper

Tue, 14 November 2023

Dr Paul Atkinson produced a Policy Briefing, in collaboration with the Heseltine Institute, to discuss the steps required to develop ‘Pandemic-proof cities’. With the UK’s COVID-19 inquiry currently in session, this timely briefing highlights the need to urgently reassess UK pandemic prevention plans, with a focus on improving the resilience of health systems.

NIHR begins applications process for HPRU 2025-2030

Wed, 01 November 2023

The NIHR has launched a new, two-stage competition to designate and fund the next round of Health Protection Research Units (HPRUs) in England for the period 2025-2030. NIHR HPRUs are partnerships between Universities and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), and will act as centres of excellence in multi-disciplinary health protection research in key priority areas.

HPRU-EZI Training collaboration with HPRU-GI continues

Thu, 19 October 2023

UK Chief Scientists visit Liverpool HPRU-EZI partners

Mon, 09 October 2023

The UK Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Lucy Chappell visited Liverpool in September this week to learn more about the role of the HPRU in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, in tackling infectious diseases.

Ruth McCabe completes her secondment at WHO

Tue, 26 September 2023

One of our University of Oxford PhD students, Ruth McCabe recently completed a summer secondment at the WHO and tells us about her experience there.

Knowledge Mobilisation update from Helen Piotrowski

Mon, 18 September 2023

During the second year of my PhD, my focus has narrowed to explore UK pandemic influenza preparedness policies between 1988 and 2019. The UK produced its first contingency plan for pandemic influenza in 1997. During the same year, the appearance of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1, which killed 18 people in Hong Kong, led to the UK Department of Health becoming increasingly aware of the risk of pandemic influenza. Fears heightened in 2003 with a global outbreak of novel coronavirus (SARS) affected 29 countries, in addition to further outbreaks of H5N1. This led to global action on planning for pandemics. Pandemic influenza was seen as the greatest risk and therefore planning centred on this virus.

Caitlin Thompson visits Turkey with LSTM CCHF team

Mon, 11 September 2023

This summer we set up a multi-site clinical evaluation of the rapid lateral flow test in 6 hospital sites across Turkey, to assess the sensitivity and specificity of the test for its use at the point-of-care in endemic CCHF regions.

Call for Expression of Interest for Reference Laboratories of the WHO CoronaVirus Network (CoViNet)

Mon, 04 September 2023

The World Health Organization Health (hereinafter, “WHO”), acting through its Emergencies Programme within its Department of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention is pleased to announce a call for expression of interest(hereinafter, this “EOI”) for laboratories to become members (as reference laboratories) within the WHO Coronavirus Network (hereinafter, the “CoViNet”), subject to WHO’s assessment of their application in accordance with this Call for EOI.

Prof Christl Donnelly and Sarah Hayes visit South Africa

Tue, 15 August 2023

During summer 2023, in an exciting international collaboration, Prof Christl Donnelly and Dr Sarah Hayes (based at the University of Oxford) embarked on a research expedition to South Africa.

PPI Bursary Scheme re-opens for applications

Mon, 24 July 2023

Applications are now open for HPRU-EZI Early Career Researchers to apply for funding to support their PPIE activities and maximise impact of their research projects! Full details can be found here: http://hpruezi.nihr.ac.uk/public-involvement/ppi-bursary-rolling-call/

HPRU-EZI Researchers deliver NeuroID course

Tue, 04 July 2023

The Liverpool Neurological Infectious Diseases Course (NeuroID) is an approved 2-day CPD course aimed at clinicians of all grades (including medical students) working in Adult and Paediatric Neurology, Infectious Diseases, Acute Medicine, Emergency Medicine and Medical Microbiology who want to update their knowledge and improve their skills. This year’s in-person course took place on 14th and 15th June 2022 in Liverpool and included talks from Prof Tom Solomon, Dr Lance Turtle and Dr Tom Fletcher.

2023 HPRU-EZI Annual Meeting takes place in Salisbury

Fri, 30 June 2023

2023 HPRU-EZI Annual Meeting takes place in Salisbury and UKHSA Porton Down

HPRU-EZI proud to sponsor the 2023 Encephalitis Conference

Tue, 16 May 2023

Registration is now open for the 2023 Encephalitis Conference. The conference is an excellent forum for physicians, scientists, researchers, and healthcare professionals to exchange ideas, knowledge and clinical experience relating to encephalitis.

HPRU-EZI Academic Career Development Programme continues in Birmingham

Thu, 30 March 2023

On 28th & 29th March 2023, our HPRU-EZI Early Career Researchers gathered in Birmingham for a 2-day workshop on Statistics and Data Science.

International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2023

Thu, 23 March 2023

Registration and abstract submission is open for the International Pandemic Sciences Conference 2023 – Making the Exceptional Routine on 10 and 11 July 2023, to be held in Oxford and live-streamed online. The conference is dedicated to the discovery, creation and equitable application of practical solutions to epidemic and pandemic threats worldwide.

Sir Patrick Vallance visits HPRU-EZI team in Liverpool

Tue, 07 March 2023

The UK Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Lucy Chappell visited Liverpool this week to learn more about the role of The Pandemic Institute and its partner institutions, in tackling infectious diseases.

NeuroID 2023 registration opens

Tue, 28 February 2023

The course is a must for any clinicians of any specialty or grade who sees patients with neurological infectious diseases. It covers the common and important neurological infections, as well as some rarer conditions, with the emphasis very much on practical approaches to the problems encountered on wards and in clinic.

HPRU Early Career Researchers gather in Liverpool once again

Mon, 30 January 2023

HPRU Early Career Researchers gather in Liverpool

HPRU-EZI awarded DHSC funding as part of our Monkeypox research programme

Tue, 10 January 2023

HPRU-EZI awarded DHSC funding as part of our MPox research programme

HPRU-EZI Early Career Researchers contribute to Infected Blood Inquiry

Mon, 12 December 2022

Over summer, Dr. Sarah Hayes and Ruth McCabe worked with the Statistics Expert Group (including Professor Christl Donnelly and HPRU EZI external advisory panel member Professor Graham Medley) to produce the Statistics Expert Report for the Infected Blood Inquiry. The group were asked to estimate the number of people infected with, and those who subsequently died from, viruses transmitted via contaminated blood and contaminated blood products, including HIV, Hepatitis B and C, and variant CJD across the 1970s – 1990s. Although the numbers in the report cannot convey the suffering endured by individuals and their loved ones, it is only by translating experiences into raw numbers that the magnitude of what has happened can be assessed. The report was released in September and was covered by BBC news. Last month, members of the Statistics Expert Group (Professor Stephen Evans, Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter and Professor Sheila Bird) presented the work to the Inquiry and were cross-examined by Inquiry lawyers (for over 5 hours!). The Head of the Inquiry, Sir Brian Langstaff, will consider the evidence presented by this group in his final Inquiry report. Although the Statistics Expert Group was convened in September 2019, all members were working extremely hard on COVID-19 from early 2020. Working at pace, the group developed a bespoke model for HCV. Sarah and Ruth were grateful for the opportunity to assist the Statistics Expert Group, but wish it were in less difficult circumstances than those covered by the Infected Blood Inquiry. You can watch Ruth give a 2-minute summary of the work as part of Imperial’s Science in Context series here.

HPRU-EZI sponsors 2022 Encephalitis conference

Tue, 06 December 2022

The HPRU-EZI was proud to sponsor the 2022 Encephalitis Conference in London on 1st December. This year's topics covered epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation in both children and adults, covering both infectious and autoimmune aetiologies. The event was used to build further links with industry as part of our efforts to widen our networks in UK/international research.

HPRU-EZI Annual Scientific Meeting to take place in Salisbury in June 2023

Tue, 01 November 2022

We are pleased to announce that our next Annual Scientific Meeting will take place in Salisbury in June 2023. More details will be announced soon but the event will include a visit to the UKHSA's base at nearby Porton Down.

New HPRU-EZI study finds that monkeypox can spread widely within specialist hospital isolation rooms

Fri, 14 October 2022

Monkeypox virus can be shed into the surrounding environment by people who are infected, particularly in shed skin particles and in debris from monkeypox skin lesions and scabs. The virus is relatively hardy and under appropriate conditions can remain infectious on surfaces for weeks, creating a potential infection risk to others.

HPRU Early Career Researchers to gather in Liverpool & Birmingham

Thu, 06 October 2022

At our Annual Meeting in Oxford, we were able to take advantage of the group coming together to deliver training sessions on PPIE, Entomology and Statistics. Our capacity building programme will continue in 2023 with further workshop on Statistics. These will take place January and March in Liverpool & Birmingham respectively.

The Infected Blood Inquiry publishes its report

Fri, 30 September 2022

The Infected Blood Inquiry has published a report by the Statistics Expert Group. The report gives the group’s findings from their investigations into the number of infections from blood and blood products in the UK, in the main between 1970 and 1991, and the subsequent survival rate of those infected.

The Pandemic Institute funds £500k of monkeypox research

Tue, 27 September 2022

The Pandemic Institute has awarded nearly £500,000 to Liverpool researchers to help tackle the growing threat of monkeypox.

Dr Lynsey Goodwin awarded first PPIE bursary award

Tue, 20 September 2022

We would like to congratulate Dr Lynsey Goodwin for a successful application to the HPRU-EZI PPIE Bursary scheme.

NIHR publishes its Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy

Wed, 14 September 2022

The NIHR has officially published its EDI strategy which aims to empower and inspire the NIHR workforce to create positive change, both within NIHR and in the wider community.

HPRU-EZI is proud to sponsor the 2022 Encephalitis Conference

Wed, 07 September 2022

The HPRU-EZI is proud to sponsor the 2022 Encephalitis Conference that will take place in London on 1st December 2022.

Prof Tom Solomon takes his Covid show to the Edinburgh Festival

Wed, 31 August 2022

Prof Tom Solomon takes his Covid for Kids show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Barry Atkinson from the UKHSA team will be at LSTM on 18th August

Wed, 03 August 2022

Barry Atkinson from the HPRU-EZI's UKHSA team will be at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine on 18th August (1-2pm) to deliver a seminar on Monkeypox. This will also be available online via the LSTM website.

HPRU-EZI Researchers deliver NeuroID course

Tue, 05 July 2022

This year’s in-person course took place on 14th and 15th June 2022 in Liverpool and included talks from Prof Tom Solomon, Dr Lance Turtle and Dr Tom Fletcher.

The 2022 HPRU-EZI Annual Meeting takes place at the University of Oxford

Tue, 21 June 2022

The 2022 HPRU-EZI Annual Meeting takes place at the University of Oxford

PPI Bursary Scheme Opens

Wed, 11 May 2022

Applications are now open for PhD students, PDRAs, and clinical research fellows of the HPRU EZI to apply for funding to support their patient and public involvement (PPI) activities

Professor Tom Solomon appointed Director of The Pandemic Institute

Tue, 10 May 2022

Professor Tom Solomon appointed Director of The Pandemic Institute

HPRU Early Career Researchers gather in Liverpool

Wed, 04 May 2022

As part of our expanding HPRU-EZI Academic Career Development Programme, our Unit's Early Career Researchers all came together in Liverpool on 27th & 28th April for a capacity building workshop

Prof Christl Donnelly's team win prestigious award

Thu, 28 April 2022

Prof Christl Donnelly and her colleagues at the University of Oxford won silver at the Corporate Content Awards for Best Corporate Content During Covid-19

Nicola Seechurn wins Pandemic Institute Award

Thu, 17 March 2022

HPRU-EZI Early Career Researchers to meet in Liverpool in April

Wed, 16 March 2022

HPRU-EZI Early Career Researchers to meet in Liverpool in April

NeuroID registration opens

Mon, 14 March 2022

The Liverpool Neurological Infectious Diseases Course (NeuroID) is an approved 2-day CPD course aimed at clinicians of all grades.

Ruth McCabe completes secondment at UKHSA

Mon, 07 March 2022

2022 HPRU-EZI Annual Meeting to take place in Oxford

Tue, 01 March 2022

We are pleased to announce that the host for the next HPRU-EZI Annual Scientific Meeting will be the University of Oxford's Lady Margaret Hall on Tuesday 7th & Wednesday 8th June 2022.

HPRU-EZI PhD recruitment complete

Tue, 08 February 2022

The HPRU-EZI Programme has completed its recruitment of all PhD studentships.

NIHR changes its name to emphasise its focus on Social Care

Tue, 01 February 2022

The NIHR is recognising the importance of social care research for the NIHR in a new name for the organisation from 6th April: National Institute for Health and Care Research.

Liverpool welcomes the new Pandemic Institute

Tue, 04 January 2022

Its an exciting time for the City of Liverpool as it becomes the headquarters for the new Pandemic Institute and HPRU-EZI's Professor Matthew Baylis will be its Director!

HPRU-EZI sponsors the 2021 Encephalitis Conference

Mon, 20 December 2021

HPRU-EZI sponsors the 2021 Encephalitis Conference

WE ARE HIRING - PhD Studentship in Molecular Virology of Tick-borne encephalitis viruses

Sun, 14 November 2021

We are recruiting for an exciting new PhD studentship on the Molecular Virology of Tick-borne encephalitis viruses .

WE ARE HIRING - PhD Studentship in Serosurveillance of Lyme

Tue, 02 November 2021

We are recruiting for an exciting new PhD studentship on the Serosurveillance of Lyme Disease.

HPRU-EZI Annual Scientific Meeting 2021-22

Tue, 26 October 2021

HPRU-EZI Annual Scientific Meeting 2021-22

Public Health England becomes UK Health Security Agency

Sun, 03 October 2021

PUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND BECOMES UK HEALTH SECURITY AGENCY

Pfizer Vaccine and Immunity Boost Study

Mon, 27 September 2021

COVID-19 immune response to vaccines shows both short and long dosing schedules of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine generate strong antibody and T cell immune responses.

Exciting job opportunity - Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Statistical Epidemiology

Wed, 15 September 2021

We are recruiting a Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Statistical Epidemiology to develop their career in statistical epidemiology within the internationally leading Depatment of Statistics in the University of Oxford. Grade 7: £33,309 - £40,927 p.a Apply by noon on 15th October 2021 https://bit.ly/3k87wsV

Covid seminar for Kids with Prof Solomon

Mon, 12 July 2021

Prof Tom Solomon presents 'Covid for Kids' as part of The Barnes Children's Literature Festival 2021

HPRU-EZI Patient & Public Engagement Working Group Meeting

Fri, 09 July 2021

HPRU-EZI Working Group Meeting took place 6th July 2021

Queen's Birthday Honours for HPRU-EZI Members

Tue, 15 June 2021

Three leading academics from HPRU-EZI have been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for their services to research and the COVID-19 response: Professor Tom Solomon CBE, Professor William Hope OBE, Professor Peter Horby KBE.

HPRU-EZI holds first annual meeting

Thu, 27 May 2021

The first annual scientific meeting for the HPRU-EZI programme took place on Wednesday 3rd February 2021.

HPRU-EZI Director elected to prestigious Academy of Medical Sciences Fellowship

Wed, 26 May 2021

HPRU-EZI DIrector, Prof Tom Solomon, is among 50 prominent biomedical and health scientists elected to the Academy of Health Sciences Fellowship.

Registration opens for the 2021 Neuro-ID course

Thu, 20 May 2021

The Liverpool Neurological Diseases Course (NeuroID) has taken place every year in Liverpool since 2007, and has now trained more than 1000 delegates from 40 countries.

Registration has opened for the 2021 Encephalitis Conference

Tue, 18 May 2021

The 2021 Encephalitis Conference is now open for registrations and abstract submissions. The event will be held on 7th December 2021 both in-person and virtually

Exciting job opportunity - Public Engagement Officer

Mon, 17 May 2021

We are recruiting a Public Engagement Officer to support Prof Peter Horby’s Epidemic Diseases Research Group.

HPRU-EZI Early Career Researchers begin Academic Career Development Programme

Tue, 11 May 2021

HPRU-EZI Academic Career Development Programme begins

HPRU-EZI Knowledge Mobilisation team publishes it recommendations on future pandemic preparedness in the UK

Wed, 28 April 2021

HPRU-EZI Knowledge Mobilisation team publishes it recommendations on future pandemic preparedness in the UK

Current HPRU in Emerging & Zoonotic Infections celebrates its first year

Thu, 01 April 2021

31st March 2021 marked the end of our first year on the current HPRU in Emerging & Zoonotic Infections programme. A HUGE thank you to everyone involved, especially those who have worked on the frontline fighting COVID-19.

Scouse Science Podcast 13/4/2021

Wed, 17 March 2021

SAGE adviser and infectious disease expert, Prof Graham Medley, joins Prof Tom Solomon and Mairead Smyth (from BBC North West Tonight) to discuss Corona Virus and its impact on science and society.

HPRU-EZI celebrates International Women's Day

Mon, 08 March 2021

International Women's Day takes place this year on Monday 8th March 2021.

HPRU-EZI publishes summary of key achievements

Thu, 04 March 2021

We are delighted to announce that the HPRU-EZI has published its 2021 review brochure, summarising its key achievements since the Unit was established in 2014.

2nd webinar in Knowledge Mobilisation series

Tue, 09 February 2021

The HPRU Knowledge Mobilisation network is organising a series of lunchtime webinars over the next 6 months aimed specifically at researchers.

HPRU Knowledge Mobilisation webinar series

Thu, 12 November 2020

The HPRU Knowledge Mobilisation network is organising a series of lunchtime webinars over the next 6 months aimed specifically at researchers.

Dr Tom Fletcher talks about COVID-19 drug trial and R number

Sun, 25 October 2020

Dr Tom Fletcher, NIHR HPRU EZI Patient Research for Public Health Theme Lead, speaks about the latest drug trial for COVID-19 and he addressed the current R number and what it means for UK's North West region.

Policy Dynamics of COVID-19 in the UK

Thu, 22 October 2020

The HPRU-EZI team has published its results on the policy dynamics of COVID-19 in the UK in the journal Social Science and Medicine.

Professor Semple and guests discuss the 'New Norm'

Fri, 18 September 2020

A Liverpool Responds video delivered on 27 August, 2020. This event was broadcast live using Zoom and Facebook.

New £4m study to advance understanding of severe coronavirus infection

Thu, 17 September 2020

The University of Liverpool is leading a major new international project to improve our understanding of severe coronavirus infection in humans.

The COVID Hot Potato 9

Thu, 25 June 2020

This week the hottest ‘hot potato’ is the open letter in the British Medical Journal from the Presidents of Royal Colleges calling for a rapid review of preparations for a second wave of COVID-19, and a focus on areas of weakness where action is needed to prevent further loss of life.

The COVID Hot Potato 8

Thu, 11 June 2020

As the UK COVID-19 response transitions from crisis management to a longer-term strategy, we look at evidence submitted to the Select Committee inquiry by Prof Sally Sheard. This draws on analyses of previous epidemics to evaluate the utility of a public inquiry after COVID-19, and highlights the need for reform to ensure that inquiry recommendations are implemented

The COVID Hot Potato 7

Thu, 04 June 2020

Healthcare professionals in hospital and community settings are putting plans in place for how to take the next steps in the COVID-19 response, but a lack of communication about the length of time ‘emergency’ response measures will be in place contributes to exhaustion and difficulties implementing these plans.

The COVID Hot Potato 6

Fri, 29 May 2020

This week: Healthcare professionals question why the evidence that shapes clinical guidance is not routinely shared with them. They highlight the challenge of adapting to frequent changes, express worries regarding the lack of transparency about the drivers behind high-level decision-making, and want to be better informed.

The COVID Hot Potato 5

Thu, 21 May 2020

This week: General practitioners (GPs) describe the challenge of managing patient referrals to hospital services after the initial suspension of non-urgent and routine referrals during the peak of COVID-19. Despite NHS England guidance advising that referrals should resume, ongoing difficulties and inability to refer patients has produced extra work, and challenges in identifying who is responsible for patients’ care.

The COVID Hot Potato 4

Thu, 14 May 2020

This week: Healthcare professionals reflect on health system resilience, with those in Scotland talking about how relationship-building within and between community and hospital teams has been important in responding well to COVID-19.

The COVID Hot Potato 3

Thu, 07 May 2020

The best way to thank NHS workers is to communicate with them: clearly, in time, and on time. Frontline healthcare professionals need clear, appropriate communication, including acknowledgement of uncertainty.

The COVID Hot Potato: As COVID-19 comes under control we need to share how local NHS services have adapted to cope with demand to “build back better” services for wave 2.

Mon, 04 May 2020

Emerging issue: Finding agile ways of sharing and implementing the best COVID-19 health service innovations around the UK.

The COVID Hot Potato: Patients with non-COVID illnesses are suffering: healthcare professionals report the hospital capacity exists but we need the strategy now

Mon, 27 April 2020

Emerging issue: Hospitals need a government lead on the lockdown exit strategy to plan the right mix of services as health needs change following the COVID-19 ‘peak’

Public Involvement Panel - Training Day

Fri, 28 September 2018

On 27 September 2018 the NIHR HPRU in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections and the Institute of Infection and Global Health, at The University of Liverpool, ran a training day for the public involvement panel and also for researchers and Phd students.