Contact
Teaching Summary
I mainly teach on courses aimed at 3rd year biochemistry or biology students, with lectures on virology and/or immunology:
LIFE3124 (Year 3) Molecular Virology and Pathogenesis (Module Convenor)
LIFE3035 Pathogens: Vaccines and Therapeutics (Year 3)
LIFE3090 Molecular Aspects of Diabetes and Obesity (Year 3)
I also teach some fundamental biochemistry to medical students as part of the MEDS1010 Medicine 1 (Year 1) module.
I supervise students on lab- or literature-based research projects at BSc, MSci or MSc levels.
I am personal tutor to small groups of students on the BSc/MSci Biochemistry, BSc Natural Sciences and MSc courses.
Research Summary
Studying the virus: host interactions of RNA viruses in vitro and in vivo, with specific focus on how viruses trigger and manipulate innate immune responses.
I am particularly interested in the highly pathogenic human coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-1, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. These viruses are important examples of emerging viruses that pose a significant risk to human health.
Current, full-time, members of the Chris Coleman Coronavirus Crew:
Angus Spence (department funded PhD student)
Reiss Amoah (MRes student)
James Hallwood (BBSRC funded PhD student), 25% responsibility
Anton Smith (Wellcome Trust funded PhD student), 33% responsibility
Eryk Gadomski (BBSRC funded PhD student), 25% responsibility
Past Research
The overall theme of my career has been the study of virus: host interactions of important human pathogens. I have previously worked on:
- Interactions between respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and peripheral blood neutrophils
- Dendritic cell mediated transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 to T cells
- Restriction factors of HIV-1
- Many aspects of highly pathogenic human coronavirus (CoV) biology, including: functions of viral proteins in blocking innate immune signaling, virus: cell interactions, development of a mouse model for MERS-CoV and testing drugs and vaccines in vitro and in vivo.
Future Research
I am interested in expanding my research to include other human and animal coronaviruses as well as other viruses in general. With an aim to discover common features that could be targeted by novel therapeutics for use against multiple viruses, in particular any future outbreak of a novel virus.