Professor Julian Hiscox BSc PhD
Chair in Infection and Global Health Infection Biology & Microbiomes
- +44 (0)151 795 0222 / +44 (0)151 795 0222 Ext. 0222
- Work email Julian.Hiscox@liverpool.ac.uk
- Personal Websitehttp://www.liv.ac.uk/infection-and-global-health/research/respiratory-and-emerging-viruses/
Research
Research Overview
Julian's research group is supported by over £6M in funding from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), UKRI (MRC and the BBSRC) and the Defence Science Technology Laboratory. His group uses high resolution approaches such as sequencing and proteomics coupled to AI/machine learning driven informatics to understand how viruses and other threat agents cause disease in human and model systems and using these approaches as a basis to underpin functional biology. Following a life long interest in genetics, the group is focused on how viral variants emerge with competitive fitness advantages. The laboratory is also looking at new ways to use Nanopore sequencing and have recently developed novel laboratory approaches and AI tools to detect the direct effect of ricin poisoning. The research is internationally focused and part of large collaborative groupings, with major partners in Saudi Arabia and Singapore. Julian leads the FDA's Office of Counterterrorism and Emerging Threats (OCET) funded program on SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV informing the development of diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics and how this relates to regulatory science (https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/mcm-regulatory-science/fda-and-global-partners-analyze-coronavirus-samples). The group works extensively at Containment Level 3 on selected pathogenic agents and we have a strong interface with clinical scientists.
Research on high consequence infectious diseases
His laboratory uses RNA sequencing and proteomics as basis to study the functional interactions of high consequence infectious diseases and biological threats with the host. The laboratory focuses mainly on Ebola virus, MERS-coronavirus and ricin. For the West African Ebola virus outbreak many members of his team deployed to West Africa and he led the sequencing of diagnostic left over samples for the European Mobile Laboratory. In a series of papers, this data was used to track evolution of the virus, the interaction with the host and the role of co-infections in Ebola virus disease. The laboratory used machine learning approaches to identify a series of validated biomarkers that together with viral load information allowed the prediction of outcome (life/death) in patients acutely ill with Ebola virus disease. This can information can be used to inform case management and in the evaluation of medical countermeasures. His group have been working with scientists in Saudi Arabia on the analysis of samples from patients with MERS-coronavirus, particularly studying how the underlying microbiome may contribute to severe disease. Most recently, his laboratory have begun studies on SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19.
Research Grants
Preclinical research of therapeutics from DNDi against Sars-CoV2
WELLCOME TRUST (UK)
September 2020 - March 2023
G2P-UK: A National Virology Consortium to address phenotypic consequences of SARSCoV-2 genomic variation
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
February 2021 - July 2023
CCP - UK
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
March 2020 - September 2022
Characterization of severe coronavirus infection in humans and model systems for medical countermeasure development and evaluation
FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTATION (USA)
September 2020 - September 2025
Developing in vitro and ex vivo respiratory models
DEFENCE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LABORATORY (UK)
April 2020 - December 2023
Mohammed Abdullah M Alsayer - Bench Fees
ROYAL EMBASSY OF SAUDI ARABIA CULTURAL BUREAU IN LONDON (UK)
October 2020 - September 2022
Abdullah Ali A Alshamrani - Bench Fees
ROYAL EMBASSY OF SAUDI ARABIA CULTURAL BUREAU IN LONDON (UK)
October 2020 - September 2023
Inflammation in Covid-19: Exploration of Critical Aspects of Pathogenesis (ICECAP)
UK RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
August 2020 - May 2021
Financial Sponsorship - Mr Abdulrahman Fahad A Alrezaihi
ROYAL EMBASSY OF SAUDI ARABIA CULTURAL BUREAU IN LONDON (UK)
December 2019 - May 2024
Ultra-sensitive Proteomics Platform
BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL
August 2020 - August 2021
Supplementary sequencing for FDA3 on COVID-19 animal models for antivirals and vaccine studies
PUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND (UK)
May 2021 - December 2021
COVID-19 Genomics UK
PUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND (UK), UK RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
April 2020 - March 2023
Genome sequencing and markers of inflammation for the South African variant of SARS-CoV-2
BERGENBIO ASA (NORWAY)
March 2021 - May 2021
UK-International Coronavirus Network (UK-ICN)
BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL
June 2021 - May 2025
DRAGON rapiD and secuRe AI imaging based diaGnosis, stratification, fOllow-up, and preparedness for coronavirus paNdemics
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
October 2020 - March 2024
NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections (HPRU EZI)
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
April 2020 - March 2025
Understanding host interactions with high consequence pathogens using super resolution light microscopy in biocontainment
BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL
August 2022 - July 2023
Comparison of EBOV infection and Ebola virus disease in animal models and humans, and assessing animal models for MCM development
FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTATION (USA)
October 2017 - October 2022
Case Studentship Abbie Harrison
DEFENCE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LABORATORY (UK)
October 2017 - September 2020
Proteomic analysis of mouse lung tissue treated with ricin 20k
DEFENCE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LABORATORY (UK)
February 2017 - June 2017
Proteomic analysis of mouse lung tissue treated with ricin 12k
DEFENCE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LABORATORY (UK)
January 2017 - April 2017
Quantitative Proteomics
THE PIRBRIGHT INSTITUTE (UK)
December 2016 - March 2024
Proteomic analysis of samples provided by Dstl
DEFENCE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LABORATORY (UK)
October 2017 - September 2024
Agreement for offsite supervision of research programme Sofia Riccio
THE PIRBRIGHT INSTITUTE (UK)
October 2017 - October 2021
Case Award for Yan Ryan
DEFENCE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LABORATORY (UK)
February 2019 - February 2022
Zika Preparedness Latin American Network — ZikaPLAN
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
October 2016 - March 2021
Ebola virus Correlates of Protection, Biomarkers of Disease Outcome and Mutations with Implications for Efficacy of Vaccines and Therapeutics
FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTATION (USA)
September 2015 - March 2021
Investigating the link between Zika virus infection and neurological disease in ex vivo and in vivo models
DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY (BEIS) (UK)
March 2016 - March 2017
Rapid sequencing of Ebola virus
WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION (SWITZERLAND)
July 2016 - December 2016
Interfering and Co-Evolving Prevention and Therapy
DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY (DARPA) (USA)
July 2017 - September 2019
Sparking Impact
BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL
June 2013 - July 2014
Pathogen Proteomics
THE PIRBRIGHT INSTITUTE (UK)
February 2013 - November 2016
Bench fees for J Perez Lazo
PRESIDENCIA DEL CONSEJO DE MINISTROS (PERU)
October 2016 - September 2020
EVIDENT - High throughput analysis of samples from the West African ebola outbreak
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
December 2014 - October 2016
Health Protection Research Unit: Emerging Infections (including zoonoses) and Biological Threats. (HPRU)
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
April 2014 - March 2020
EMBO Workshop on Integrating omic approaches to host pathogen interactions
EUROPEAN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY ORGANISATION (GERMANY)
November 2012 - September 2013
Analysis of the function of infectious bronchitis virus accessory proteins - towards better vaccines
THE PIRBRIGHT INSTITUTE (UK)
October 2013 - September 2017
Zana Mahmood - bench fees
KURDISTAN REGIONAL GOVERNMENT (IRAQ)
October 2014 - September 2015
Waleed Al Jabr bench fees
ROYAL EMBASSY OF SAUDI ARABIA
October 2013 - September 2015
Predicting Influenza severity by proteomics (PrInSeP).
ALDER HEY CHILDREN'S NHS FOUNDATION TRUST (UK)
January 2014 - June 2016
The role of cellular RNA editing in human respiratory syncytial virus and influenza virus biology.
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
October 2012 - November 2015
Research Collaborations
Dr. Roger Hewson and Prof. Miles Carroll
External: Health Protection Agency
Collaborate on emerging viral pathogens
Prof. Paul Digard
External: University of Edinburgh
Collaborate on an MRC funded project looking at the interaction of human respiratory syncytial virus and influenza A virus with the host.
Dr. John N. Barr
External: University of Leeds
Investigating respiratory and emerging pathogens on joint MRC and Health Protection Agency funded projects.