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Dysregulated immunophenotypic attributes of plasmacytoid but not myeloid dendritic cells in HIV-1 infected individuals in the absence of highly active anti-retroviral therapy

Dendritic cells (DC) in HIV-1-infected individuals are decreased and their dysfunction has been implicated in HIV-1 immunopathogenesis. The mechanism of their dysfunction remains unclear, thus we analysed the expression of membrane molecules associated with immune regulation…

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Neuraminidase activity and specificity of influenza A virus are influenced by haemagglutinin-receptor binding

Influenza virus haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) are involved in the recognition and modulation of sialic acids on the cell surface as the virus receptor. Although the balance between two proteins functions has been found to be crucial for viral fitness, the…

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Serum anti-neuraminidase antibody responses in human influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus infections

Haemagglutination inhibition (HAI) antibody titres are a correlate of protection for influenza virus infection, but several studies have also demonstrated the protective role of anti-neuraminidase (anti-NA) antibodies. However, there is limited data on anti-NA antibody…

Andrew Broadbent

Science Spotlight: Dr Andrew Broadbent

Dr Andrew Broadbent’s research is focussed on birnaviruses, economically important viruses that have a large impact on aquaculture and poultry industries. His group are currently investigating infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV), which attacks the immune system of birds…

Rinderpest destruction, what happens next?

In June 2019 The Pirbright Institute destroyed the last samples of rinderpest virus held in the World Reference Laboratory for rinderpest. This completed a major milestone in the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United…

Image shows clumps of red blood cells forming around cells infected by the vaccine virus, showing it has been successfully genetically modified

Bird flu and Marek’s disease vaccine developed by Pirbright scientists

Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have used genetic engineering to develop a vaccine that protects birds against both Marek’s disease and avian influenza, also known as bird flu. The process is faster and more efficient compared to previous methods, which will allow…

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Comparative pathogenicity and transmissibility of pandemic H1N1, avian H5N1, and human H7N9 influenza viruses in tree shrews

Influenza A viruses (IAVs) continuously challenge the poultry industry and human health. Studies of IAVs are still hampered by the availability of suitable animal models. Chinese tree shrews ( Tupaia belangeri chinensis) are closely related to primates physiologically and…

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Development of a RACE-based RNA-Seq approach to characterize the T-cell receptor repertoire of porcine gammadelta T cells

Recent data suggest that porcine gammadelta T cells exhibit a similar degree of functional plasticity as human and murine gammadelta T cells. Due to the high frequency of TCR-gammadelta + cells in blood and secondary lymphatic organs, the pig is an attractive model to study…

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Binomial nomenclature for virus species: a consultation

The Executive Committee of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) recognizes the need for a standardized nomenclature for virus species. This article sets out the case for establishing a binomial nomenclature and presents the advantages and disadvantages…

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Identification and characterisation of a Masculinizer homolog in the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella

Recently, a novel sex-determination system was identified in the silkworm ( Bombyx mori) in which a piRNA encoded on the female-specific W chromosome silences a Z-linked gene ( Masculinizer) which would otherwise initiate male sex-determination and dosage compensation…