Dr Fraser Crofts

Fraser Crofts is an early career postdoctoral scientist working within the Non-Vesicular Reference Laboratory at The Pirbright Institute. He initially graduated with a first-class honours degree in Infection and Immunity at Aston University including a 1-year academic placement in which he assisted in the development of a biological database cataloguing experimentally verified protein iso-electric points from archival literature. He then completed a PhD at Aston University in partnership with GlaxoSmithKline investigating the use of novel generic liposomal formulations for delivery of self-replicating mRNA vaccines for Respiratory Syncytial Virus. This encompassed a multidisciplinary approach including pharmacological optimisation of liposome production and efficacy, work within the GSK labs performing an animal study of the vaccine formulations and a bioinformatic analysis of global epitope matching for theoretical optimal samRNA design.

Fraser joined The Pirbright Institute in February 2020 working within the Vaccine Differentiation group. During this time he assisted in the cloning, expression and purification of a marker protein subunit for use in a potential DIVA vaccine. He now works within the Non-Vesicular Reference Laboratory alongside collaborative partners GALVMED and the Jordan University of Science and Technology investigating the comparative efficacy of Liquid Stabilisers to Freeze-drying in PPRV vaccines.