Will Harvey
Core Scientist in Quantitative Predictive Biology
Contact details
Address
- Street
-
The Roslin Institute
Easter Bush Campus
Midlothian - City
- Post code
- EH25 9RG
Background
I am an evolutionary biologist and essentially I'm interested in how natural selection acts upon observable differences encoded by genetic differences to shape the diversity of life. I'm particularly interested in the adaptations that govern relationships between pathogens and their hosts, the evolution of traits such as resistance, virulence and host preference, and how an understanding of these processes can be used to inform disease control and intervention strategies.
Area of expertise
Pathogens on which I have worked include: Influenza A virus (IAV), Influenza B virus, Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV).
Qualifications
2016 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Glasgow.
2010 BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences (Evolutionary Biology), University of Edinburgh.
Research summary
Role of reassortment in evolution of avian influenza viruses.
I am interested in the how changes in the genome (either mutations or reassortment which is the swapping of gene segments) impact various characteristics of the virus which affect the fitness of the virus or how well it spreads in various host populations.
Antigenic evolution of human influenza viruses
Mutations in the surface glycoproteins of human influenza viruses may affect recognition of the virus by antibodies generated by a previous infection or vaccination. Such mutations determine the antigenic phenotype of a virus, a key determinant of the viral fitness.