Gynae-oncological research
Start date
01 October 2017End date
30 September 2018Funder
Team
Principal investigator
Professor Roberto La Ragione
Professor of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Head of the School of Biosciences
Biography
Roberto graduated in 1995 and then went on to study for a post graduate degree in veterinary microbiology at the Royal Veterinary College (University of London). In 1996 he moved to the government's Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) to undertake a PhD on the pathogenesis of E. coli in poultry. On completion of his PhD studies, Roberto commenced a post-doctoral position at Royal Holloway, University of London, studying E. coli virulence factors and vaccine development.
Since 2001 his work has focused largely on the analysis of the colonisation, shedding and transmission of E. coli O157:H7 by all farmed animal species and he has led a number of commercial, Defra, research council (BBSRC, MRC, EPSRC, AHRC, Innovate) and EU projects in this area. He has published extensively in the area of host-microbe interaction with a particular emphasis on E. coli and Salmonella.
His current research interests focus on the pathogenesis of food-borne pathogens with a particular interest on AMR and the development of intervention strategies including vaccination, pre and probiotics for the control of bacterial pathogens such as Salmonella, Brachyspira and E. coli in food producing animals.
In 2005, Roberto was appointed Head of Pathogenesis and Control at the AHVLA and in 2010 he was appointed Professor of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology at the University of Surrey. He gained the FRCPath in 2010 and in 2012 was appointed the Associate Dean for Veterinary Strategy in the new School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Surrey. In 2014 he was appointed to the position of Head of the Department of Pathology and Infectious Diseases and Director of the Veterinary Pathology Centre. In 2019 he was appointed Deputy Head of the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Surrey. In 2021 he was appointed Head of the School of Biosciences.
He is the past president of the Med-Vet-Net Association and the Veterinary Research Club, the current Chair of the Humanimal Trust, a Trustee of the Houghton Trust, a member of the APHA Science Advisory Board, a member of the FSA ACMSF AMR sub-committee and the Chair of the Royal College of Pathologists Veterinary Pathology SAC. Roberto is an Associate member of the European College of Veterinary Microbiology and in 2020 he was awarded Honorary Associateship of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. In 2023, Roberto was awarded the RCPath College Medal.
Co-investigator
Professor Simon de Lusignan
Professor of Primary Care and Clinical Informatics, and Vice Chancellor's Fellow
Biography
From 1st June 2019 my principal academic base has moved to the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at University of Oxford.
My Clinical Informatics and Health Outcomes Research Group, has also moved with me. We are located in Eagle House, Walton Well Road, Oxford, OX2 6ED, a 15 minute walk from Oxford station.
I retain a fractional appointment at University of Surrey as a Vice Chancellor's Fellow. The secure network which hosts the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Research and Surveillance Centre (RSC) remains physically at Surrey, though its staff have largely moved to Oxford.
My role at Surrey has enabled me to keep responsibility for this network. I was delighted to have been added to the Guildford Roll of Honour for my contributions to the University and town. Whilst my academic base has moved to Oxford I remain a GP at Woodbridge Hill Surgery in Guildford.
I welcome enquiries from within Surrey or elsewhere who are looking for research collaborations, particularly with the RCGP RSC database and network.