Photo of Professor Calum Semple

Professor Calum Semple OBE PhD FRCPCH FRCPE FFPH FHEA

Professor of Child Health and Outbreak Medicine, Consultant Respiratory Paediatrician at Alder Hey Children's Hospital Clinical Infection, Microbiology & Immunology

Research

Research Overview

Professor Calum Semple has studied severe virus disease outbreaks since 1989 in the fields of diagnostics, clinical characterization and clinical trials. He was a founder member of ISARIC. He has led studies of COVID-19, MERS, Monkeypox, Ebola (EVD and Survivors), Lassa Fever, Influenza, and Bronchiolitis, at times field-deployed in austere circumstances.

He is Chief Investigator for BESS, FLU-CATs, WHO ISARIC Clinical Characterisation Protocol UK (CCP-UK), and CO-CIN. ISARIC CCP-UK and CO-CIN are pandemic response studies that have been activated for the covid-19 outbreak.

Calum is the chief investigator for ISARIC’s Coronavirus Clinical Characterisation Consortium in the UK (ISARIC4C.net). Thanks to the consortium’s work, the UK now leads the world in having the largest and most detailed observational study on COVID-19 (n>305,000). The harmonised data sets and biological samples have supported vaccine development (ChAdOx), therapeutic trials (RECOVERY) and led to discoveries of the pathophysiology of COVID-19 and long-COVID.

BESS - the Bronchiolitis Endotracheal Surfactant Study in a multinational randomised controlled trial of Endotracheal Surfactant administered to infants with life-threatening Bronchiolitis funded by the NIHR EME programme.

He was a co-investigator on ARCHIE (2014-22) and Emergency Evaluation of Convalescent Plasma for Ebola Viral Disease (EVD) in Guinea "Ebola-Tx" (2014-17). Calum was a co-investigator on the FLU-CIN and MOSAIC studies that characterized in near real-time the clinical and immunological response to Influenza A/H1N1pdm2009 infection during the pandemic.

ISARIC's Comprehensive Clinical Characterisation Collaboration in the UK

Patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (covid-19) stratified by age and sex (top panel), and date of hospital admission with covid-19 by sex (lower panel). Outcomes are discharge from hospital, ongoing care, and death at time of report (19 April 2020, n=20 133).
Patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (covid-19) stratified by age and sex (top panel), and date of hospital admission with covid-19 by sex (lower panel). Outcomes are discharge from hospital, ongoing care, and death at time of report (19 April 2020, n=20 133).

ISARIC4C
A collaboration of doctors and scientists committed to answering urgent questions about emerging infections and public health threats quickly, openly, and for the benefit of all.

ISARIC is active in 133 countries. Since 2012 we have been preparing for outbreaks worldwide.

ISARIC4C is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and The National Institute For Health Research (NIHR). We share data and samples to get answers as fast as possible. Any investigators with the ability to contribute can access our data and samples. The ISARIC4C study provides a foundation for other studies, such as clinical trials of new treatments, to help better understand the best way to use interventions.

Sampling with consent - Impact
- 35 315 samples shared for Research and Development
- First WHO International Standards for serology and virus
- First SARS-CoV-2 sequence outside of China
- COVID test development and validation
- ChAdOx Vaccine Development
- Baricitinib identified as potential novel class therapeutic
- Seed virus for Human Challenge Study
- Discovery of aetiology of Acute Severe Hepatitis in Children

Data collected under COPI - Impact
- 303 521 patients’ clinical data collated
- Piped to public health agencies, modellers, actuaries, R0
- Dynamic reports to SAGE & NERVTAG
- Risk factors, symptoms, complications, outcomes and resource use
- Nosocomial Infection
- Vaccine protection in general population

And done again for delta and omicron variants, and activated for Monkeypox (Mpox) and Children with Acute Severe Hepatitis of Unknown Origin
- 175 Papers: 4 in Nature, 4 in BMJ, 4 in Lancet

BESS - the Bronchiolitis Endotracheal Surfactant Study

BESS https://www.bess-trial.org.uk/ - the Bronchiolitis Endotracheal Surfactant Study in a multinational randomised controlled trial of Endotracheal Surfactant administered to infants with life-threatening Bronchiolitis funded by the NIHR EME programme and a gift without encumbrance from Chiesi Spa.

BESS is open to recruitment and may report in Autumn 2024.

Ebola_CP “Convalescent plasma for early Ebola virus disease in Sierra Leone"

Scale Venn diagram illustrating the overlap between the 3 main symptom groups among persons with post-Ebola syndrome seen at the Ebola survivors clinic at the 34th Regimental Military Hospital, Wilberforce Barracks, Freetown, Sierra Leone.Scale Venn diagram illustrating the overlap between the 3 main symptom groups among persons with post-Ebola syndrome seen at the Ebola survivors clinic at the 34th Regimental Military Hospital, Wilberforce Barracks, Freetown, Sierra Leone. Seven patients did not have any of the 3 main symptom groups.
Scale Venn diagram illustrating the overlap between the 3 main symptom groups among persons with post-Ebola syndrome seen at the Ebola survivors clinic at the 34th Regimental Military Hospital, Wilberforce Barracks, Freetown, Sierra Leone.Scale Venn diagram illustrating the overlap between the 3 main symptom groups among persons with post-Ebola syndrome seen at the Ebola survivors clinic at the 34th Regimental Military Hospital, Wilberforce Barracks, Freetown, Sierra Leone. Seven patients did not have any of the 3 main symptom groups.

The study Ebola_CP “Convalescent plasma for early Ebola virus disease in Sierra Leone (ISRCTN13990511 & PACTR201602001355272) was funded by the Wellcome Trust (Award ref 106491) and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Calum Semple and Janet Scott received support from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections at the University of Liverpool.

Work in survivors led to understanding Post Ebola Syndrome

Research Group Membership

Research Grants

OpenSAFELY, ISARIC, PHOSP: evaluating consequences of COVID-19 infection in three very large sources of UK primary and secondary care patient data.

UK RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

November 2020 - August 2022

Interim support for ISARIC4C Clinical Characterisation Protocol (CCP) activation for acute severe hepatitis in children of unknown cause

MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

June 2022 - September 2024

A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded trial of the safety and efficacy of tecovirimat for the treatment of non-hospitalised patients with monkeypox virus disease

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

July 2022 - December 2023

GroundsWell: Community-engaged and Data-informed Systems Transformation of Urban Green and Blue Space for Population Health

MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

October 2021 - September 2026

COVID - Curated and Open aNalysis aNd rEsearCh plaTform CO-CONNECT

UK RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

October 2020 - April 2022

Evaluation of the implementation of pandemic preparedness plans during COVID-19 at the interface with infection prevention and control services in acute and community care.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

March 2021 - September 2022

Predicting unplanned hospital readmission prior to discharge in patients with COVID-19: development, validation, and implementation of a machine- learning based risk prediction model

HEALTH DATA RESEARCH UK - HDRUK (UK)

October 2021 - September 2022

What are the patterns of healthcare use in children and young people with SARS-CoV-2 in the 12 months following infection?

HEALTH DATA RESEARCH UK - HDRUK (UK)

October 2021 - December 2022

The UK Interstitial Lung Disease Long-COVID19 study (UKILD-Long COVID): understanding the burden of Interstitial Lung Disease in Long COVID.

MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

February 2021 - July 2022

A UK underpinning platform to study immunology and immunopathology of COVID-19:The UK Coronavirus Immunology Consortium

MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

August 2020 - August 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

Post-hospitalisation COVID-19 study: a national consortium to understand and improve long-term health outcomes (PHOSP-COVID)

MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

June 2021 - June 2023

Clinical Characterisation of COVID-19 admitted to hospitals in the United Kingdom (Tier Zero of The Clinical Characterisation Protocol UK reporting to CO-CIN) (CO-CIN)

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

April 2020 - March 2024

CCP - UK

MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

March 2020 - September 2022

The efficacy and mechanism of surfactant therapy in infants with life threatening Bronchiolitis: the Bronchiolitis Endotracheal Surfactant Study (BESS).

CHIESI FARMACEUTICI, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

February 2018 - December 2025

Longitudinal Observational Study of Ebola Survivors with Secondary Retinal Sequelae

THE DOWAGER COUNTESS ELEANOR PEEL TRUST (UK)

September 2017 - December 2021

Defining Post Ebola Virus Disease Ophthalmic Sequelae and Opportunities for Intervention

BAYER CORPORATION (USA)

August 2016 - December 2018

Combating Visual Loss in Ebola Survivors

THE DOWAGER COUNTESS ELEANOR PEEL TRUST (UK)

February 2016 - January 2017

Systematic review of environmental factors predisposing to severe childhood asthma

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

September 2017 - August 2018

International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium - Flu Sequelae

BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION (USA)

February 2016 - May 2018

Clinical provision and priority research activities for Ebola survivors

LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE & TROPICAL MEDICINE (UK)

June 2015 - March 2019

Convalescent Plasma for Early Ebola Virus Disease in Sierra Leone “Ebola_CP”

WELLCOME TRUST (UK)

March 2015 - September 2017

ISARIC Clinical Characterisation Protocol for Severe Emerging Infection and Short Period Incidence Study of Severe Acute Respiratory Infection

IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON (UK)

January 2016 - December 2019

Emergency evaluation of convalescent whole blood (CWB) and plasma (CP) for Ebola Viral Disease (EVD) in affected West African countries - Ebola tx

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

November 2014 - October 2016

ARCHIE - Early antibiotic use in ‘at risk’ children with influenza

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

October 2012 - September 2020

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Bronchiolitis: Clinical and Immunological Associations in Infancy.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

January 2002 - April 2008

UK H1N1 Clinical Information Network (FLU-CIN)

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

September 2009 - August 2012

UK Influenza Rapid Response Influenza Clinical Network (UK-Flu Response)

WELLCOME TRUST (UK)

November 2009 - July 2011

Evaluation & refinement of pan-flu triage tools (FLU-CAT)

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)

January 2013 - March 2022

Research Collaborations

Dr Roger Parslow

Project: BESS
External: PICANet University of Leeds

Bronchiolitis Endotracheal Surfactant Study

Prof Howard Clarke, Prof Tony Postle

Project: BESS
External: University of Southampton

Bronchiolitis Endotracheal Surfactant Study

Dr Tansy Edwards

Project: Ebola CP and Ebola TX
External: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Convalescent Plasma for Ebola Virus Disease

Prof Johan van Griensven

Project: Ebola CP & Ebola TX
External: Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITG) Antwerp

Convalescent Plasma for Ebola Virus Disease

Prof Simon de Lusignan

Project: FLU-CATs
External: University of Surrey

Refinement and validation of pandemic influenza triage tools

Dr Dai Evans

Project: FLU-CATs
External: PRIMIS, University of Nottingham

Refinement and validation of pandemic influenza triage tools.

Prof Jonathan van Tam and Dr Louise Lansbury

Project: FLU-CATS
External: University of Nottingham

Refinement and validation of pandemic influenza triage tools

Dr Allan Bennett

External: Health Protection Agency

The Airborne Respiratory Disease Infection Simulator (TARDIS)

Dr Anthony Harnden

External: University of Oxford

NIHR HTA Grant coapplicant

Dr Jonathan Read

Internal

Establishing and modelling contact behaviour in children and their carers, in illness and health.

Dr A Kipar

Internal

Substance P and hRSV Bronchiolitis