Professor Muhammad Munir
Professor in Virology and Viral ZoonosesResearch Interests
I am a virologist with research experience in virus pathobiology, viral antagonism of immune responses, and host factors that limit virus replication. Research in my laboratory focuses on understanding molecular mechanisms of inter-species pathogenesis of viruses (i.e., zoonotic viruses). Specifically, using influenza viruses, my research aims to explore host and viral RNA biology (sensing – interferon responses, epigenetics, and gene regulation) and define structural and functional differences in human and animals (e.g., birds and bats), which determine the transmission dynamics of animal viruses to human.
I also study differential virus pathobiology, diagnosis, and vaccine developments against viruses in different animal hosts with a special focus on the Newcastle disease virus, a paramyxovirus causing enormous economic losses in poultry, well-characterized vaccine vector, and carrying excellent oncolytic properties. .
My laboratory is funded by the BBSRC, British Council, Newton Fund, and Industry, and is equipped with CL3 facilities, holding avian viruses bank, chicken eggs facilities, and expanding to establish a vaccine vectors bank.
Current Research
Current Teaching
I am Module Organizer for Biol121: Impacts of Microbes (UG) and Biol435: Microbes and Disease (PG). I deliver lectures on viruses in Biol122: Infection and Immunity (UG), Biol435: Environmental Pathogen (UG) and BIOL383: Innovation in Biosciences (UG). I supervise practicals for Biol121 and third year student on Biol387 Projects, and master students.
PhD Supervision Interests
I can offer PhD and MSc research projects on either molecular mechanisms of virus pathogenesis or host responses against viruses.
Please contact me for further details.
Current PhD students:
2022-2025 Omnia Khaleel, 3 year PhD studentship funded by Govt of Egypt and British Council. Project title: Smart Diagnostic Platform to Simultaneously Identify Viral Respiratory Illnesses, Main supervisor
2022-2025 Asma Nasr, 3 year PhD studentship funded by Govt of Egypt and British Council. Project title: Underpinning the Molecular Barriers to the Emergence of Novel Viruses, Main supervisor
2021-2025 Yaser Edrees, 4 year PhD studentship funded Govt of Saudi Arabia funded. Project title: Public Health Importance of Influenza, Main supervisor
2021-2024 Hejan Bozkurt, 3 year PhD studentship funded by EcoI-Health and Industry. Project title: Developing an Environmentally Friendly Diagnostic Device to Detect Respiratory Disease, Main supervisor
2021-2024 Priyanka Jyothsna, 3 year PhD studentship funded by Govt of India funded. Project title: An epigenetic control of influenza virus replication in diverse susceptible hosts. Main supervisor
2021-2024 Emma Gardiner, 3 year PhD studentship (Self-funded). Project title: Influenza Virus Induced Host Innate Immunity. Main supervisor
2020-2024 Julianne Vilela, 3 year PhD studentship funded by the British Council. Project title: Development of CRISPR/Cas9 base Novel Poultry Vaccines against Endemic Viruses Main supervisor
2020-2023 Mahmoud Bayoumi, 3 year PhD studentship funded by the British Council. Project title: Understanding the Replication Kinetics of Influenza Virus under Epigenetic Pressure and Stress. Main supervisor
2020-2023 Manar Khalifa, 3 year PhD studentship funded by the British Council. Project title: Understanding Receptor-mediated Spill-over of Rabies Virus Across Different Mammalian Hosts. Main supervisor
2020-2024 Emily Clayton, Blended (British Council, industry and self-funded). Project title: Innate Immune Sensing and Antagonism by Zoonotic Viruses. Main supervisor
2018-2022 Euan Mitchell. Viral genome destruction using the CRISPR-Cas effector Cas13. Co- supervisor, University of Edinburgh, UK
PhD Supervision Interests
The following projects are on offer: 1. Epigenetic Regulation of Viruses. 2. Roles of Interferon Regulated Genes in the Pathobiology of Influenza Virus. 3. Proteomic Approaches in Understanding Viral Antagonism of Host Responses
01/01/2025 → 31/12/2026
Research
01/12/2024 → 31/03/2026
Research
01/09/2023 → 31/08/2025
Research
08/11/2021 → 30/01/2023
Research
01/08/2021 → 30/04/2022
Research
01/07/2021 → 30/06/2025
Research
01/04/2021 → 30/09/2021
Research
18/01/2021 → 31/05/2021
Research
01/02/2020 → 31/03/2024
Research
01/05/2018 → 30/04/2019
Research
01/04/2018 → 28/02/2021
Research
01/04/2018 → 28/02/2019
Research
01/04/2018 → 31/03/2021
Research
02/03/2018 → 01/03/2019
Research
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Hosting an academic visitor
Other
Editorial activity
Editorial activity
Editorial activity
Editorial activity
- Cancer Biology and Genome Stability
- Microbes, Pathogens and Immunity