Dr Rupsha Fraser
Address
- Street
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University of Edinburgh
BioQuarter, Little France - City
- Edinburgh
- Post code
- EH16 4UU
Background
I am an immunologist, with interests focusing on precision immunomodulation through site-specific temporal immune programming to improve human health. I have foundational expertise in reproductive immunology, which has extended into human infection immunology and translational vaccine research.
I began in reproductive immunology, where my work defined functional roles for maternal immune cells in uterine vascular remodelling and placentation, with implications for pregnancy complications. I subsequently developed a hormone-responsive 3D endometrial organotypic model of uterine receptivity to study the transient window of embryo implantation, providing a platform with applications for investigative studies across reproductive and gynaecological conditions.
My current work in vaccine research focuses on addressing a key limitation of respiratory vaccines, which generate systemic immunity but do not effectively protect the upper respiratory tract, the primary site of infection and transmission. I have developed a novel intranasal adjunct strategy that combines standard intramuscular vaccination with a brief, targeted nasal intervention to promote immune protection at the site where infection begins. I am progressing this work towards clinical application through the development of a clinical-grade intranasal formulation, to enable its adjunct use with intramuscular vaccination, using existing and investigational vaccines against viral and bacterial respiratory pathogens, in planned human clinical studies.
Within the framework of site-specific temporal immune programming, I am also interested in developing immunomodulatory strategies in a reproductive context to support reproductive and pregnancy outcomes. My current reproductive immunology focus is on developing an experimental platform for programming human decidual natural killer (dNK) cell states implicated in implantation and early pregnancy in vitro, that can replicate their distinct stage-specific functional roles. The long-term aim is to develop targeted immunomodulatory approaches for reproductive and obstetric conditions, including autologous adoptive transfer and in situ modulation of dNK activity.
Additionally, I am an Associate of the Baillie Gifford Pandemic Science Hub (linked here), an interdisciplinary translational research initiative within the University of Edinburgh that brings together discovery science and experimental medicine, to accelerate the development and testing of treatments for respiratory infections and strengthen preparedness for future pandemics.
Recent relevant publications
- Fraser R, Schwarze J, Dockrell DH. Exogenous IFN-a delivered as an intranasal adjunct to systemic vaccination directs vaccine specific T-cell responses to the upper respiratory tract. Front. Immunol. 2026; 17:1924673. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1924673.
- Fraser R, Orta-Resendiz A, Mazein A, Dockrell DH. Upper respiratory tract mucosal immunity for SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Trends Mol. Med. 2023; 29(4): 255–267. doi: 10.1016/j.molmed.2023.01.003.
- Fraser R, Orta-Resendiz A, Dockrell DH, Müller-Trutwin M, Mazein A. Severe COVID-19 vs. multisystem inflammatory syndrome: comparing two critical outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Eur. Respir. Rev. 2023; 32(167):220197. doi: 10.1183/16000617.0197-2022.
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Dockrell DH, Russell CD, McHugh B, Fraser R. Does autonomous macrophage-driven inflammation promote alveolar damage in COVID-19? Eur. Resp. J. 2022; 25:2201521. doi: 10.1183/13993003.01521-2022.
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Fraser R & Zenclussen AC. Killer timing: the temporal uterine natural killer cell differentiation pathway and implications for female reproductive Health. Front. Endocrinol. 2022; 13:904744. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.904744.
- Fraser R, Smith R, Lin C-J. A 3D endometrial organotypic model simulating the acute inflammatory decidualisation initiation phase with epithelial induction of the key endometrial receptivity marker, integrin αVβ3. Hum. Reprod. Open 2021(4): hoab034. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.904744.
- Ostaszewski M, … Fraser R, et al. COVID-19 Disease Map, a computational knowledge repository of SARS-CoV-2 virus-host interaction mechanisms. Mol. Syst. Biol. 2021; 17(10): e10387. doi: 10.15252/msb.202110387.
Qualifications
- PhD in Reproductive Immunology
- SFHEA (Senior Fellowship of the UK Higher Education Academy)
- MRes in Human Genetics
- BSc Hons in Biotechnology
Responsibilities & affiliations
I am part of the University’s core HCP-Med teaching team, and I teach across undergraduate and postgraduate medical programmes at the University of Edinburgh. In addition to HCP-Med (a shortened, government-funded graduate-entry MBChB programme for practising healthcare professionals in Scotland), these include UoE’s undergraduate MBChB (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) programme, and MSc CMID (Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases) and MSc CT (Clinical Trials) programmes. My responsibilities span module and course leadership, curriculum design, development of digital learning resources, and the development and delivery of integrated teaching linking preclinical and clinical domains. I lead modules and courses within the HCP-Med and MSc CMID programmes, and work collaboratively with academic and clinical colleagues to shape curriculum development and teaching practice. This involves module/course structure and renewal, implementing new teaching strategies, integrating interdisciplinary content, developing and designing assessments, aligning teaching across programmes, supervision of postgraduate research, academic mentorship to students. I also contribute to Boards of Examiners, and support candidate selection and admissions processes.
Brief description of the HCP-Med programme and a link to an example of one of the modules I lead: https://open.ed.ac.uk/hcp-med-year-1-integrity/