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. 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. 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. 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.
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
Selected Publications
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.
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.
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.
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.