Meet Dr David Burke

Dr Burke said: “I am exploring the mechanisms of how viruses and pathogens infect humans and how the human immune system reacts to infection. Only by understanding these details can we design more effective vaccines. If we can identify which viruses and pathogens pose a risk to human health, it will improve pandemic preparedness.

“I develop and apply computational tools to understand the role genetic variation has on the structure and function of proteins and their interactions. This is key to understanding how pathogens infect humans. I have also examined the genetic diversity of the viral evolution of influenza to assess which viruses could infect humans and the effectiveness of current vaccines.

“My work has always involved collaborations with scientists from other disciplines. This includes computer science, chemistry, mathematics, physics, biology, genetics, virology, as well as veterinary and clinical sciences.

“At King’s, I have enjoyed developing and teaching a module in the new Natural Sciences undergraduate programme. It has been exciting to interact with other groups within the faculty involved with microbiome research.”