Dr Jean-Remy Sadeyen

Pirbright scientists have discovered that infection with two strains of avian flu can lead to the emergence of a new virus strain with the potential to jump from birds to humans. Human cases of avian influenza are extremely rare but can occur if a person comes into very close contact with an…

An improved poultry influenza vaccine has been developed by researchers from The Pirbright Institute. The potential vaccine triggers a rapid immune response which protects chickens against signs of disease and reduces the level of virus that they could pass on, a key element to halting the spread of…

A new study by researchers at The Pirbright Institute shows that avian influenza viruses can combine two techniques to evade vaccine immunity, aiding their spread in the field. Understanding the dynamics between these methods could allow researchers to develop better vaccines that prevent flu…

Mutations in the H7N9 bird flu virus increase its replication rate and stability in avian cells, but reduce its preference for infecting human cells, a study from The Pirbright Institute has found. The results show that outbreaks in birds caused by strains with these mutations could pose a lower…

Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have engineered synthetic antibody molecules that can be administered to poultry to reduce the symptoms of influenza, as well as decreasing the amount of influenza virus they shed into the environment. These results suggest that there is potential for their use…

Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have used genetic engineering to develop a vaccine that protects birds against both Marek’s disease and avian influenza, also known as bird flu. The process is faster and more efficient compared to previous methods, which will allow poultry vaccine producers to…

Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have found that the transmission of avian influenza viruses in Vietnam is influenced by the structure of live poultry trading networks. Their work has identified the groups that are most likely to employ trade practices that impact the risk of infection in…

Research led by The Pirbright Institute has shown mutant H9N2 bird flu viruses isolated from Pakistan are able to escape immune responses and adapt to infect humans. This could result in reduced vaccine efficiency and the possibility of human outbreaks. Published in the journal Emerging Infectious…

Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have identified a key mutation in the H7N9 avian influenza virus which could allow it to escape immune system defences, reducing the effectiveness of vaccines. The research, published in the Journal of Virology, demonstrated that small genetic differences in the…

For the first time, researchers led by Professor Munir Iqbal at The Pirbright Institute have been able to insert protective avian influenza virus genes into the duck enteritis virus (DEV) vaccine by using a method of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing that allows higher rates of gene insertion. This makes the…

Experiments by researchers at The Pirbright Institute have identified the molecular mechanisms that enable H9N2 viruses - the most common type of avian influenza (bird flu) virus - to infect humans, helping improve risk assessments for its potential to cause pandemic. Although H9N2 viruses are…