Contact information
Colleges
David Roberts
FMedSci
Professor of Haematology
- Consultant Haematologist
Erythropoiesis / Regulatory T cells in Bone Marrow Transplantation / Malaria Pathogenesis
The current projects in immuno-haematology have been built on our expertise in the study of host-pathogen interactions in malaria by functional and genetic approaches. The unique virulence of falciparum malaria among the species of human parasites appears to be related to the ability of the parasitised erythrocytes to adhere to specific molecules expressed on vascular endothelium. There has therefore been considerable interest in defining the cellular and molecular adhesive phenotypes of malaria infected erythrocytes. In particular it has been suggested that some adhesive phenotypes may be associated with certain syndromes of severe disease for example coma or cerebral malaria. Until recently it has been thought that sequestration of infected erythrocytes in the peripheral circulation enabled these cells to simply avoid passage through and destruction in the spleen. We have studied the functional and pathological significance of the adhesive phenotypes of malaria infected erythrocytes.
Recent publications
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The contribution of genetic determinants of blood gene expression and splicing to molecular phenotypes and health outcomes.
Tokolyi A. et al, (2025), Nat Genet, 57, 616 - 625
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The United Kingdom Infected Blood Inquiry: Its findings and lessons for the future of transfusion.
Murphy MF. et al, (2025), Blood
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Early, very high-titre convalescent plasma therapy in clinically vulnerable individuals with mild COVID-19: an international, randomised, open-label trial.
Hoffmann S. et al, (2025), EBioMedicine, 113
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Expected outcomes of stratified post-donation testing in whole blood donation in England: A discrete event simulation modeling study.
Qi H. et al, (2025), Transfusion
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Individual patient and donor seroprofiles in convalescent plasma treatment of COVID-19 in REMAP-CAP clinical trial.
Nurmi V. et al, (2025), J Infect, 90