Professor Robert C Read MD FRCP

Professor of Infectious Diseases

Department of Infection and Immunity
K Floor
The University of Sheffield Medical School
Beech Hill Road
Sheffield
S10 2RX
United Kingdom

Tel: +44(0)114 271 3375
Fax: +44(0)114 271 3892
Email: r.c.read@sheffield.ac.uk
Secretary - Jean Lazenby
Tel: +44 (0)114 271 2237
Email: j.lazenby@sheffield.ac.uk

Biography

I joined The University of Sheffield in 1995 as an academic infectious disease physician after clinical and research training in Leeds, Bristol, London, Nottingham and San Francisco.

I am currently Professor of Infectious Diseases at The University of Sheffield and Honorary Consultant Physician to the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust.

Research Interests

My research interests are in the pathogenesis and prevention of rapidly lethal infectious diseases.

Teaching Interests

I teach clinical microbiology and infectious diseases to undergraduates and postgraduates.

Professional Activities

International

Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Infection
Editor-in-Chief, Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases
Scientific Affairs Officer, Chairman Scientific Affairs Committee, Executive member, European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) 2009-
Vice-Chair, Annual Meeting Programme committee, Infectious Diseases Society of America
Member, Joint ERS/ESCMID Guidelines Committee, Lower Respiratory Tract infections 2006-

National

Chair, National Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Specialty Group, NIHR Clinical Research Network Coordinating Centre 2009-
Member, DH Expert Advisory Group HIV and Infectious Diseases (MHRA) 2006-
Member, DH Expert Advisory Group, Biologicals and Vaccines, Commission on Human Medicines, 2007-2009.
Member, Chief Medical Officers Working Group, Pandemic Influenza, 2005-
Review and Interview Panellist, Personal Awards Scheme, National Institute for Health Research Funding (NIHR) (Senior Fellows, Career Development and Postdoctoral Fellows) 2007-
Member, Joint Clinical Guidelines Committee for Pandemic Influenza, BIS/BTS/HPA 2005-
Member, British Thoracic Society Community Acquired Pneumonia Guidelines Writing Committee, 2007-
External Examiner, Cardiff MBChB (2005-current), Swansea MBChB, 2006-current, Nottingham BMedSci, 2006-2009.

Local (University of Sheffield, and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Trust)

Academic Training Programme Director (South Yorkshire) 2010-
Clinical Research Lead, Infection & Immunity, and member of the STH Research Committee 2003-

Current Projects

• Role of S-nitrosothiol depletion in meningococcal sepsis and potential for novel therapy.
• Determination of roles of B and T cell cross talk in vaccine response and susceptibility to infectious disease.
• Nitrosative Stress in enterobacteraciae- the S-nitrosoproteome and an assessment of cellular protective functions in vitro and in vivo.
• Experimental human colonisation with Neisseria lactamica.
• Effect of vaccine-induced immunity on bacterial colonisation.
• Genetics of severe infections.
• Role of tetraspanins in bacterial uptake by eukaryotic cells.

Key Publications [over past 12 months]

1. Darton TC, Wing JB, Lee A, Heath AW, Read RC. Adult Survivors of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease Exhibit Defective B Cell Function. Clin Infec Dis. 2011; 52(9): 1133-1136.
2. Renner P, Roger T, Bochud PY, Sprong T, Sweep FC, Bochud M, Faust SN, Haralambous E, Betts H, Chanson AL, Reymond MK, Mermel E, Erard V, van Deuren M, Read RC, Levin M, Calandra T.  A functional microsatellite of the macrophage migration inhibitory factor gene associated with meningococcal disease.  FASEB J.  2011 Oct 26.  [Epub ahead of print].
3. Darton TC, Guiver M, Naylor S, Kaczmarski EB, Borrow R, Read RC.  Bacterial genomic detection within cerebrospinal fluid of patients with meningococcal disease is influenced by microbial and host characteristics.  Clin Infect Dis.  2011; 53(5): 463-7.
4. Wing JB, Smart L, Borrow R, Findlow J, Findlow H, Heath AW, Read RC.  Kinetics of immune responses to nasal challenge with meningococcal polysaccharide one year after serogroup-C glycoconjugate vaccination.  Clin Infect Dis.  2011; 52(11): 1317-23.
5. Read RC, Cornaglia G, Kahlmeter G.  Professional challenges and opportunities in clinical microbiology and infectious diseases in Europe.  European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Professional Affairs Worshop group.  Lancet Infect Dis.  2011; 11(5): 408-15.   Review.
6. Bewley MA, Pharm TK, Marriott HM, Noriel J, Chu HP, Ow SY, Ryazanov AG, Read RC, Whyte MK, Chain B, Wright PC, Dockrell DH.  Proteomic evaluation and validation of cathepsin D regulated proteins in macrophages exposed to Streptococcus pneumoniae.  Mol Cell Proteomics.  2011; 10(6): M111.008193.
7. Bewley MA, Marriott HM, Tulone C, Francis SE, Mitchell TJ, Read RC, Chain B, Kroemer G, Whyte MK, Dockrell DH.  A cardinal role for cathepsin D in co-ordinating the host-mediated apoptosis of macrophages and killing of pneumococci.  PLoS Pathog.  2011; 7(1):  e1001262.
8. Green LR, Monk PN, Partridge LJ, Morris P, Gorringe AR, Read RC. Cooperative role for tetraspanins in adhesin-mediated attachment of bacterial species to human epithelial cells. Inect Immun. 2011; 79: 2241-9.
9. Findlow H, Borrow R, Hardelid P, Newton E, Frankland S, Naylor S, Miller E, Kaczmarski E, Read RC. Serum Antibody Kinetics following Nasal or Parenteral Challenge with Meningococcal Polysaccharide in Healthy Adults. Clin Vaccine Immunol. 2011; 18(3): 424-9.
10. Nicholson KG, Abrams KR, Batham S, Clark TW, Hoschler K, Lim WS, Medina MJ, Nguyen-Van-Tam JS, Read RC, Warren FC, Zambon M. Immunogenicity and safety of a two-dose schedule of whole-viron and AS03A-adjuvanted 2009 influenza A (H1N1) vaccines: a randomised, multicentre, age-stratified, head-to-head trial. Lancet Infect Dis. 2011; 11(2): 91-101.
11. Evans CM, Pratt CB, Matheson M, Vaughan TE, Findlow J, Borrow R, Gorringe AR, Read RC. Nasopharyngeal colonization by Neisseria lactamica and induction of protective immunity against Neisseria meningitidis. Clin Infect Dis. 2011; 52(1): 70-7.
12. Foster RA, Carlring J, Lees A, Borrow R, Ramsy M, Kacsmarski, Miller E, McKendrick MW, Heath AW, Read RC. Functional T-cell deficiency in adolescents who experience serogroup C meningococcal disease despite receiving the meningococcal serogroup C conjugate vaccine. Clin Vaccine Immunol. 2010; 17(7): 1104-10.
13. McLean S, Bowman, LA, Sanguinetti G, Read RC, Poole RK. Peroxynitrite toxicity in Escherichia coli K12 elicits expression of oxidative stress responses and protein nitration and nitrosylation. J Biol Chem. 2010; 285(27): 20724-31.
14. Laver JR, Stevanin TM, Messenger SL, Dehn Lunn A, Lee M, Moir JW, Poole RK, Read RC. Bacterial nitric oxide detoxification detoxification prevents host cell S-nitrosothiol formation: a novel mechanism of bacterial pathogenesis. FASEB Journal. 2010; 24:286-95.
15. Brouwer MC, Read RC, van de Beek D. Host genetics and outcome in meningococcal disease: systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Infectious Diseases 2010; 10;262-74.

Last updated: 28 January 2013