Dr Claire Smith

More than 60 children infected in north London measles outbreak Cases reported in seven schools and a nursery in Enfield amid concern over low levels of MMR vaccination in capital

A reminder that measles cannot be treated, it can only be prevented.

It is one of the most contagious diseases in the world and can cause blindness, deafness and life-threatening lung and brain infections.

Fantastic final day at #AIR2026. A masterclass in in vitro modelling by Scott Randall followed by a great panel discussion with funders @asthmaandlung.org.uk @wellcometrust.bsky.social @cysticfibrosis.org.uk @karlstaples.bsky.social

Another insightful day of science, discussion and making new friends at #AIR2026

Day 2 Highlights: making sense of big data, spatial transcriptomics and in vitro modelling of respiratory infections @eventswcs.bsky.social @sangerinstitute.bsky.social

Dr Vanessa Saliba, Consultant Epidemiologist at UKHSA, said: 'Infections can return quickly when childhood vaccine uptake falls; elimination is only possible if all children receive two MMRV doses before school. Older children and adults who missed vaccination must be caught up. The NHS is making vaccination easier, including offering the second MMRV dose earlier at a new 18-month appointment to boost uptake and support elimination goals.'

UKHSA responds to the confirmation from @WHO that the UK has lost its measles elimination status.

Read more from WHO here: https://bit.ly/3YZuOFa

Two people sitting on a bench at UCL, viewing the London skyline featuring the BT Tower at sunset, seen through large columns.

3 weeks until UCL turns 200! 🎉

From library all‑nighters to the friendships that shaped your journey, UCL has meant so much to so many. What’s your standout UCL memory?

📸 Oct 2017 #LoveUCL entry

#UCL200

Really excited our paper about how H5N1 rapidly adapted to cattle (and how these adaptations also increased its ability to infect cells from the human respiratory tract) is now published! www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Graduate Open Events: Paediatric and Child Health Explore Master’s degrees in Child Health and Paediatric Neuropsychology. Join our virtual open events to meet Programme Directors and plan your next career step.

Thinking of pursuing research in Child Health sciences?
Join our upcoming online information session where you’ll find out what it’s like to study at a world-leading institution. 🌍

📅 Child Health MRes – 9 February, 17:00-18:00

🔗 Secure your place: www.ucl.ac.uk/population-h...

I noticed the train is late lol! That doesn't bode well for Monday 🙄

A flurry of snowflakes with text reading 'Virus Snowflakes: a collection of paper art viruses by Ed Hutchinson - Download now!' along with the logo of the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research

If you'd like to celebrate the biology of viruses - or the fight against viral diseases - this winter, try out our free and updated #VirusSnowflake designs.
Please share, and if you have any photos of Virus Snowflakes in your area it would be lovely to see them!
cvr-engagement.co.uk/virus-snowfl...

Deadline for abstracts extended to 1st December

It's a been a while, thanks for reminder!

⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜⬜🟩⬜
⬜⬜🟩🟩⬜
⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Finished a virology PhD or finishing soon? Check out this job - www.healthjobsuk.com/job/UK/Londo...

Neutrophil myeloperoxidase as a functional biomarker for RSV severity: implications for in vitro therapeutic screening. Neutrophils play a dual role in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection, contributing to both viral clearance and lung damage. Analysis of peripheral blood-derived neutrophils from infants with RS...

🚨 New preprint from the group - #Neutrophil myeloperoxidase as a functional biomarker for RSV severity: implications for in vitro therapeutic screening. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Interested in respiratory infections? who isn't! Then register for this fab conference with a fantastic line-up of speakers and sessions @sangerinstitute.bsky.social Abstract submission open until 17th Nov!! @eventswcs.bsky.social

coursesandconferences.wellcomeconnectingscience.org/event/air-20...

Irish skies

Please join us if you can for this year's Influenza Update Meeting, and please spread the news! It will be another fun opportunity to meet other influenza researchers, make connections and discuss our ongoing research.

A picture of a Fresian cow whose markings resemble influenza viruses

Our study on pasteurising influenza viruses in milk is now out! It's a nice simple story: influenza viruses (including H5N1) are killed really effectively by pasteurisation, but in raw milk they stay infectious - obvious public health implications of both points... (1/2)
rdcu.be/d73te

Polymerase mutations underlie adaptation of H5N1 influenza virus to dairy cattle and other mammals. In early 2024, an unprecedented outbreak of H5N1 high pathogenicity avian influenza was detected in dairy cattle in the USA. The epidemic remains uncontrolled, with spillbacks into poultry, wild birds...

Really proud to share our preprint describing early adaptation of H5N1 to US dairy cattle, and showing how these mutations enhance the ability of the virus to infect other mammals, such as pigs and humans.

With @influenzal.bsky.social @vidhid.bsky.social @drclairesmith.bsky.social and many more!

Shoutout to the incredible team - Max, Sam, Japhette and Amy- who drove this over the line 🧪👏 ! #TeamScience

Efficient in vitro assay for evaluating drug efficacy and synergy against emerging SARS-CoV-2 strains | Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy Broad-spectrum antivirals approved for treating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), such as remdesivir, molnupiravir, favipiravir, and nirmatrelvir, target key viral enzymes ...

🚨 New paper alert! We developed a simple cell assay to evaluate drug efficacy and synergy against emerging SARS-CoV-2 strains. Here we test both novel and repurposed antiviral drugs, identifying synergies that could enhance treatment effectiveness. Read more here: journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

UCL – University College London UCL is consistently ranked as one of the top ten universities in the world (QS World University Rankings 2010-2022) and is No.2 in the UK for research power (Research Excellence Framework 2021).

last 2 days to apply! : We have a fully funded #PhD #studentship available in my lab for Oct25 @UCLchildhealth. Project will research new treatments/targets for airway inflammation during viral infection using complex in vitro models. Deadline 13th Dec
Apply here: forms.office.com/pages/respon...

Can you add me please

Good luck!

Hopefully the paper will be coming soon, watch this space!

we showed that antivirals remdesivir & RSV604, both reduce RSV viral load, but RSV604 uniquely modulates neutrophil activation—lowering degranulation (MPO/NE) and preserving cell viability. Showing that this model could offer advantages for #RSVTherapeutics 💊

we found that RSV drives neutrophil migration across the epithelial barrier, altering activation markers (CD11b, MPO, NE). we also show how endothelial cells modulate cytokine responses (IL-6, IL-8, IP-10) and neutrophil localisation.

Sure! we developed a co-culture model of airway epithelial, endothelial and neutrophils cells to simulate the air-blood barrier and study viral clearance & inflammation during RSV infection #RSV #Immunology funded by #animalfreeresearchuk #AFRUK

I'll be speaking this morning @btsrespiratory.bsky.social in "A Winter's Tale" session about the model we have developed to study RSV infection in children which was funded by Animal Free Research UK. Come find out more in Moore/4th at 11:05 #BTSwinter2024.

Emma Johnson and Tereza Masonou for the BALR early career researcher awards! Congratulations to both and to the BTS and Asthma+Lung UK winners!

A big day of output for the Human Cell Atlas, a global collaborative project with 100 countries to understand our ~37 trillion cells
A Wikipedia of our cells, a "remarkable achievement"
nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com/immersive/d4...