... understanding life in molecular detail

Dr Morgan Herod

Virus Replication, Assembly/Disassembly, Virus-Host Interactions, Polyprotein Processing


The Herod lab uses an interdisciplinary approach to understand the molecular mechanism that regulate viral genome replication, virion assembly and disassembly. The lab studies a range of positive-sense RNA viruses (with a particular interest in norovirus and hepatitis E virus), with an overarching aim of developing new approaches to disease control.

Current major projects include:
  • How do viral capsids disassemble and enter the cell?
  • How does viral polyprotein processing control replication?
  • Which molecular interactions control virus genome replication?
  • How are new virions assembled?

The Herod lab has a broad interest in virus replication, with a particular interest in studying single-stranded positive-sense RNA viruses important for human and animal health. Current efforts in the lab span three main research areas:

  1. 1. The molecular composition of viral replication complexes, in particular norovirus and picornavirus replication organelles, how these complexes are assembled and the functions of polyprotein precursors in these complexes.
  2. 2. The controlled disassembly of the norovirus capsid during endocytosis into target cells. Including, how the capsid interacts with a range of biomolecules and the microbiome, and how these interactions change the virion structure and infectivity.
  3. 3. The role of the non-strucutural proteins and their polyprotein intermediates in the replication of hepatitis E virus and how the polyprotein is proteolytically processed.
Detailed research programme                  Close ▲
MRH.jpg

MRC CDA Fellow and University Academic Fellow
PhD (Birmingham) BSc (Nottingham)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Leeds) 2013 - 2018
Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Southampton) 2010 - 2013

Miall 10.27
School of Molecular and Cellular Biology
0113 343 3080
m.r.herod@leeds.ac.uk

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Morgan_Herod

Selected Publications

  1. Shawli G. T., Adeyemi O. O., Stonehouse N. J., Herod M. R. (2019) The Oxysterol 25-Hydroxycholesterol Inhibits Replication of Murine Norovirus. Viruses. 11(2)?E97.

  2. Herod M. R., Gold S., Lasecka-Dykes L., Wright C., Ward J. C., McLean T. C., Forrest S., Jackson T., Tuthill T. J., Rowlands D. J., Stonehouse N. J. (2017) Genetic economy in picornaviruses: Foot-and-mouth disease virus replication exploits alternative precursor cleavage pathways. PLoS Pathog. 3(10):e1006666.

  3. Herod M. R., Ferrer-Orta C., Loundras E. A., Ward J. C., Verdaguer N., Rowlands D. J. and Stonehouse N. J. (2016) Both Cis and Trans Activities of the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus 3D Polymerase are Essential for Viral RNA Replication. J.Virol. 90(15):6864-83.

  4. Herod M. R., Ferrer-Orta C., Loundras E. A., Ward J. C., Verdaguer N., Rowlands D. J. and Stonehouse N. J. (2016) Both Cis and Trans Activities of the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus 3D Polymerase are Essential for Viral RNA Replication. J.Virol. 90(15):6864-83.