Polymerase trapping as the mechanism of H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus genesis Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) derive from H5 and H7 low pathogenic avian influenza viruses (LPAIVs). Although insertion of a furin-cleavable multibasic cleavage site (MBCS) in the...

Transient RNA structures play a key role in the emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses! Great to see this collaboration with Mathis Funk, Mathilde Richard, Stephen Cusack, and others in @science.org www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Mechanism of co-transcriptional cap snatching by influenza polymerase - Nature Structural and biochemical studies of influenza virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (FluPol) in complex with transcribing host RNA polymerase II reveal the molecular mechanisms of RNA cap snatching by FluPol.

Nature research paper: Mechanism of co-transcriptional cap snatching by influenza polymerase

go.nature.com/4rTPL12

Decoding influenza virus: From polymerase mechanisms to translational therapeutics
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Cryo-EM structure reveals how influenza A virus NEP binds the viral polymerase at a regulatory hotspot, coordinating RNA synthesis and nuclear export. Fantastic collaboration with @loiccarrique.bsky.social and Jon Grimes. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

A group of four smiling people in front of a Christmas tree. In the middle, holding a well-thumbed, hand-annotated printout of a PhD thesis but otherwise looking impressively unruffled, is Dr Daniel Weir, gentleman, scholar, and doctor of influenza virology.

Huge congratulations to Dr @danielweiriav.bsky.social, outstanding scientist and wonderful colleague, who passed his viva with flying colours today @cvrinfo.bsky.social. Next stop, on to Oxford for a postdoc with @efodor.bsky.social - we're really excited to see what you do next! 🦠🥳 #PhDone

Avian-origin influenza A viruses tolerate elevated pyrexic temperatures in mammals Host body temperature can define a virus’s replicative profile—influenza A viruses (IAVs) adapted to 40° to 42°C in birds are less temperature sensitive in vitro compared with human isolates adapted t...

How does fever work?

Our new Science paper shows how elevated body temperature can protect against severe influenza and that avian-origin viruses escape this defence.

This is likely one reason why bird flus and some pandemic influenzas can be so severe.🧵

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Avian-origin influenza A viruses tolerate elevated pyrexic temperatures in mammals Host body temperature can define a virus’s replicative profile—influenza A viruses (IAVs) adapted to 40° to 42°C in birds are less temperature sensitive in vitro compared with human isolates adapted t...

Very happy to have been able to contribute to this study that was published today in Science, which was truly a great collaborative effort. Avian PB1 provides a fitness advantage to IAV at febrile-range temperatures both in vitro and a hyperthermic nouse model 🦠 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
#flu

Big welcome to @corneliusleeyh.bsky.social starting his DPhil with @achilleskap.bsky.social @kavlioxford.bsky.social & @efodor.bsky.social @dunnschool.bsky.social on influenza dynamics! Great to see this cross-disciplinary project getting underway.

High-throughput single-virion DNA-PAINT reveals structural diversity, cooperativity, and flexibility during selective packaging in influenza Abstract. Influenza A, a negative-sense RNA virus, has a genome that consists of eight single-stranded RNA segments. Influenza co-infections can result in

Our work on influenza genome packaging using high-throughput single-virion DNA-PAINT is out in NAR! Packaging appears structurally diverse and flexible. Big thanks to Christoff & Qing (amazing effort)! A collab with @efodor.bsky.social, @nicolerobb.bsky.social academic.oup.com/nar/article/...

Applications now open for our PhD studentship programme - Dunn School Applications are now open to apply for our four year, fully-funded PhD programme in Molecular Cell Biology in Health and Disease.

Our PhD studentship programme is officially open; pass it on

If you are looking for a fully-funded PhD in the mechanisms underlying human disease, here are the details...

Great science and a great environment!

www.path.ox.ac.uk/news-article...

📣 Applications now open 📣

We are seeking outstanding ECRs looking for a stimulating and supportive environment in which to establish their research group as externally-funded fellows, in any area or cell or molecular biology underlying disease!

Please share!

www.path.ox.ac.uk/work-with-us...

There is still time to apply; join our team to work on influenza virus replication mechanisms!

Exciting job opportunities!

Two postdoc positions are available in the Fodor Lab at
@dunnschool.bsky.social to study influenza virus transcription, genome replication, nuclear export and assembly.

More info: my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...

Thrilled to share that our latest manuscript using smFRET to study inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 is now out!

doi.org/10.1093/nar/...

Congrats and thanks to amazing co-authors and collaborators for all the hard work. @efodor.bsky.social @jeremykeown.bsky.social @andrewmcmahon1345.bsky.social

Huge congratulations to Dani!

Massive congratulations to Dani from the lab who passed her PhD viva yesterday! Special thanks to her wonderful co-supervisor @efodor.bsky.social, to her examiners @davidlvbauer.bsky.social and @jeremykeown.bsky.social and to the Warwick MRC-DTP for funding her PhD! 🦠🎓🎂

Many thanks to GfV for the invitation to present our collaborative work with Jonathan Grimes' group. It's a pleasure to attend #GfV2025!

The last keynote speaker of day 2, Prof. Ervin Fordor from Oxford, presented interesting data on the multifunctionality of the RNA polymerase complex of the influenza virus. #GfV2025
(HMB)

Europe needs a sustainably funded influenza research and response network Influenza viruses have caused four pandemics during the last century.1 The 1918 H1N1 pandemic claimed 20–50 million lives, the 1957 H2N2 pandemic and the 1968 H3N2 pandemic claimed 1–4 million lives e...

New comment:

Europe needs a sustainably funded influenza research and response network

www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

A DNA-PAINT protocol for the segment-specific detection of viral vRNPs. Virus particles are surface-immobilized, fixed, permeabilized and incubated with non-fluorescent barcoded probes, that bind to 20-50 different sequences on a viral RNA segment. All probes carry the same segment-specific oligonucleotide extension that is transiently bound by fluorescent imager strands. Several combinations of barcode extensions and imager strands can be used to sequentially to detect various gene segments in a single virus particle.

First BlueSky post + a breath of fresh air! Excited about our preprint on the packaging + structure of viral RNA segments in influenza virions: doi.org/10.1101/2025.... A saga from amazing Christof and Qing, and a great collaboration with @nicolerobb.bsky.social and @efodor.bsky.social.

Happy to be part of this beautiful work using DNA-PAINT to study genome packaging in influenza 😊thanks to all co-authors @efodor.bsky.social & Christof, Achilles and Qing! Check it out here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

A picture of a Fresian cow whose markings resemble influenza viruses

Our study on pasteurising influenza viruses in milk is now out! It's a nice simple story: influenza viruses (including H5N1) are killed really effectively by pasteurisation, but in raw milk they stay infectious - obvious public health implications of both points... (1/2)
rdcu.be/d73te

Bird flu cases surging in UK but risk to humans remains low Restrictions have recently been put in place in England and Scotland to curb the spread of bird flu.

What's going on with bird flu in the UK at the moment? I wrote a piece for @uk.theconversation.com explaining what we know at the moment, and why it's not yet time to worry
theconversation.com/bird-flu-cas...

We just can't stop recruiting!

Associate professor in cell and molecular biology @dunnschool, with a preference for immunology, inflammation and/or infection - all defined broadly

Come and be our colleague

Deadline 28 Feb, please spread the word

www.path.ox.ac.uk/vacancy/asso...

A two-step mechanism for RIG-I activation by influenza virus mini viral RNAs Influenza A virus (IAV) non-canonical replication products can be bound by various host pathogen sensors, including retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I). However, it is not clear why non-canonical I...

Excited to share this new preprint showing that non-canonical influenza virus transcripts are produced in a sequence/RNA structure-dependent manner on aberrant RNAs: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Polymerase mutations underlie adaptation of H5N1 influenza virus to dairy cattle and other mammals. In early 2024, an unprecedented outbreak of H5N1 high pathogenicity avian influenza was detected in dairy cattle in the USA. The epidemic remains uncontrolled, with spillbacks into poultry, wild birds...

Really proud to share our preprint describing early adaptation of H5N1 to US dairy cattle, and showing how these mutations enhance the ability of the virus to infect other mammals, such as pigs and humans.

With @influenzal.bsky.social @vidhid.bsky.social @drclairesmith.bsky.social and many more!

Structure of the Nipah virus polymerase complex | The EMBO Journal imageimageThe RNA polymerase complex of the Nipah virus is responsible for both replication and transcription of the viral RNA genome. This study elucidates the structure of the RNA polymerase in comp...

The last days of 2024 but hey: I am happy to share that our new paper is out!

www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....

The cover of Biophysical Reports, showing an influenza virus particle partially disassembling to release lipid molecules and expose the interior

Delighted to hear that Andrew McMahon and Nicole Robb's study 'Engineering stress as a motivation for filamentous virus morphology,' which we and other @cvrinfo.bsky.social authors collaborated in, is now a beautiful cover image. You can read the paper here: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Effect of pandemic influenza A virus PB1 genes of avian origin on viral RNA polymerase activity and pathogenicity Past influenza pandemics contained polymerase genes from avian influenza viruses, affecting viral replication and pathogenicity.

Just published - pandemic influenza PB1 genes of avian origin reduce polymerase activity and virulence in low-pathogenic avian influenza viruses. Insights into host adaptation and zoonotic risk.
www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1...

Structural characterization of the full-length Hantaan virus polymerase Author summary Hantaviruses are widely distributed viruses that can undergo zoonosis where they cause severe disease in humans. Old World hantaviruses, found predominantly in Asia and Europe, can caus...

Excited to share our work describing a series of structures that allow us to propose a new model for Hantavirus genome replication by the viral L-protein. Another great experience with @loiccarrique.bsky.social @ben-nilsson-payant.bsky.social @efodor.bsky.social Jon Grimes.
doi.org/10.1371/jour...