Hepatitis

Dr Nikesh Patel is visualising the replication of Hepatitis B Virus using a combination of several techniques to understand what is happening at the molecular level. Understanding the key steps involved in the virus’s replication will help identify new drug targets.

Dr Patel said: "Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is a worldwide health concern. Chronic infections killed around 900,000 people last year alone, mainly through a combination of liver cirrhosis and cancer.

"Treatments for these complications are a large financial strain, costing the NHS around £400 million last year. Current treatments focus on stopping the replication of the virus, however, drug resistance eventually occurs. My research aims to use Cryo Electron Microscopy and X-Ray Footprinting to look at the molecular mechanisms involved in viral replication in order to identify novel drug targets."