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Research

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 2023

Abdullah Ali A Alshamrani - Bench Fees

ROYAL EMBASSY OF SAUDI ARABIA CULTURAL BUREAU IN LONDON (UK)

October 2020 - March 2025

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 - September 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 - April 2026

Proteomic analysis of samples provided by Dstl

DEFENCE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LABORATORY (UK)

October 2017 - March 2025

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

    Health Protection Agency

    Collaborate on emerging viral pathogens

    Prof. Paul Digard

    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

    University of Leeds

    Investigating respiratory and emerging pathogens on joint MRC and Health Protection Agency funded projects.