... understanding life in molecular detail

Prof Nicola Stonehouse

Virus, molecular interactions, vaccines, aptamers


Research in the Stonehouse group spans virology and RNA biology, applying novel approaches to the study of virus replication and assembly.

Current major projects include:
  • Use of RNA aptamers to study viral proteins and inhibit their function
  • Viral assembly and vaccine development
  • Viral Replication

Research in the Stonehouse group spans virology and RNA biology, applying novel approaches to the study of virus replication and assembly in three main research areas:

1) Picornaviral replication, especially the role of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of foot-and-mouth disease virus and processing of the viral polyprotein. This project is funded by BBSRC.

2) Design of novel virus-like particle vaccines (e.g. to polio and EV71) and design of generic vaccine scaffold systems. This project is funded by MRC and by WHO.

3) RNA aptamers as tools and delivery of aptamers into the skin as potential novel therapeutics. This project is funded by MRC.

Detailed research programme                  Close ▲
NJS.jpg

Professor of Molecular Virology

PhD Leeds and BSc UEA
Professor of Molecular Virology

Garstang 8.53b
School of Molecular and Cellular Biology
0113 343 3102
n.j.stonehouse@leeds.ac.uk

Selected Publications

  1. Herod MR, Gold S, Lasecka-Dykes L, Wright C, Ward JC, McLean TC, Forrest S, Jackson T, Tuthill TJ, Rowlands DJ, Stonehouse NJ Genetic economy in picornaviruses: Foot-and-mouth disease virus replication exploits alternative precursor cleavage pathways PLoS Pathogens 13 -, 2017 DOI:10.1371/journal.ppat.1006666

  2. Adeyemi OO, Nicol C, Stonehouse NJ, Rowlands DJ Increasing type 1 poliovirus capsid stability by thermal selection Journal of Virology 91 -, 2017 DOI:10.1128/JVI.01586-16

  3. Herod MR, Ferrer-Orta C, Loundras EA, Ward JC, Verdaguer N, Rowlands DJ, Stonehouse NJ Both cis and trans activities of foot-and-mouth disease virus 3D polymerase are essential for viral RNA replication Journal of Virology 90 6864-6883, 2016 DOI:10.1128/JVI.00469-16

  4. Kelly JT, De Colibus L, Elliott L, Fry EE, Stuart DI, Rowlands DJ, Stonehouse NJ Potent antiviral agents fail to elicit genetically-stable resistance mutations in either enterovirus 71 or Coxsackievirus A16 Antiviral Research 124 77-82, 2015 DOI:10.1016/j.antiviral.2015.10.006