Dr David Hughes

Dr David Hughes

Senior Lecturer

Phone
+44 (0)1334 46 7197
Email
djh25@st-andrews.ac.uk

Ìý

Research areas

Major outbreaks of childhood infections by pathogens such as the mumps and measles viruses continue to cause significant illness in young children despite the availability of effective vaccines. Additionally, infections with viruses for which there is no vaccine – such asÌýÌý- lead to significant numbers of children needing intensive care treatment in hospital. Collectively, these viruses are known as paramyxoviruses,Ìýand includes viruses that infect and cause disease in humans and other animals. In addition to being clinically relevant pathogens, they serve as exceptional models in the laboratory for studying how we and other animals respond to viral infections – knowledge that has the potential to be translated into effective treatments.

Using a multidisciplinary approach, the objective of our research is to gain a deeper understanding ofÌývirus-host interactions, particularly how we respond to infections (innate immunity and the interferon response) and how viruses have evloved to counter these responses.

A major focus of the lab is to gain insights into the importance of posttranlational modifications such asÌýubiquitin-like (Ubl) proteinsÌý(such as ubiquitin, NEDD8, ISG15 & SUMO) during viral infection. ÌýAs obligate intracellular pathogens, viruses are capable of rewiring cellular networks, and many have been shown to utilise these modification for their own benefit, or to antagonise their effects during the antiviral response. Therefore, a deeper understanding of their importance during viral infection may lead to the development of novel antiviral compounds. Indeed, we have recently shown NEDDylation is a viable target for the treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) malignancies, such as primary effusion lymphoma (PEL). We study a number of viruses, includingÌýherpesvirusesÌýandÌýparamyxoviruses.

PhD supervision

  • HannahÌýSchroeder
  • SujithÌýSurendranath

Selected publications

  • Open access
    Vasou, A., Nightingale, K., Cetkovská , V., Scheler, J., Bamford, C. G. G., Andrejeva, J., Rowe, J. C., Swatek, K. N., Schwarz-Linek, U., Randall, R. E., McLauchlan, J., Weekes, M. P., Bogunovic, D. & Hughes, D. J., 11 Feb 2025, In: European Journal of Immunology. 55, 2, 16 p., e202451651.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access
    Randall, R. E., Young, D. F., Pisliakova, M., Andrejeva, J., West, L., Rossler, L., Morath, V., Hughes, D. J. & Goodbourn, S., 9 Jan 2025, In: Journal of General Virology. 106, 1, 13 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access
    Ravenhill, B. J., Oliveira, M., Wood, G., Di, Y., Kite, J., Wang, X., Davies, C. T. R., Lu, Y., Antrobus, R., Elliott, G., Irigoyen, N., Hughes, D. J., Lyons, P. A., Chung, B., Borner, G. H. H. & Weekes, M. P., 25 Feb 2025, In: Cell Reports. 44, 2, 21 p., 115263.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access
    Lukoszek, R., Inesta-Vaquera, F., Brett, N. J. M., Liang, S., Hepburn, L. A., Hughes, D. J., Pirillo, C., Roberts, E. W. & Cowling, V. H., 23 Jul 2024, In: Cell Reports. 43, 7, 19 p., 114405.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access
    Groen, K., Kuratli, R., Sar, L., Vasou, A., Huber, M., Hughes, D. J. & Hale, B. G., 4 Oct 2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: European Journal of Immunology. Early View, 4 p., 2451325.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access
    Carden, H., Harper, K. L., Mottram, T. J., Manners, O., Allott, K. L., Dallas, M. L., Hughes, D. J., Lippiat, J. D., Mankouri, J. & Whitehouse, A., 16 Jul 2024, In: Science Signaling. 17, 845, 11 p., eadg4124.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access
    Randall, R. E., Young, D. F., Hughes, D. J. & Goodbourn, S., 14 Nov 2023, In: Journal of General Virology. 104, 11, 13 p., 001916.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access
    Rowlatt, C. F., Chaplain, M. A. J., Hughes, D. J., Gillespie, S. H., Dockrell, D. H., Johannessen, I. & Bowness, R., 6 May 2022, bioRxiv, 35 p.

    Research output: Working paper › Preprint

  • Vasou, A., Nightingale, K., Cetkovska, V., Bamford, C., Andrejeva, J., Randall, R. E., McLauchlan, J., Weekes, M. & Hughes, D. J., 3 Jun 2021, bioRxiv, 38 p.

    Research output: Working paper › Preprint

  • Open access
    Jones, C. E., Tan, W. S., Grey, F. & Hughes, D. J., 21 May 2021, In: Journal of General Virology. 102, 5, 15 p., 0001603.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Ìý