Rory Bowden
Dr Rory Bowden
Manager, Statistical Experimental Laboratory
bowden at stats.ox.ac.uk
+44 (0)1865 272860 (Department)
+44 (0)1865 285367 (Direct)
+44 (0)1865 272595 (Fax)
Research interests
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Application of high-throughput genotyping methods to studies of variation and evolution in a wide range of organisms.
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Whole-genome sequencing and analysis for bacterial and viral pathogens, especially healthcare-associated infections, Staphyloccus aureus and Streptococcus pneumonia.
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Population and molecular evolution of herpesviruses and other viruses of humans.
About my research
My earliest research interests were in the biology of mammalian and avian herpesviruses, a family that includes important pathogens of humans. I have also been interested more generally in the relationship between (human) population history and patterns of pathogen molecular variation. This work led to interests in documenting recombination in pathogens.
I lead a highly collaborative research group (BAG; Bacterial Analysis Group). We undertake whole-genome sequencing, statistical and bioinformatics analysis of bacterial and viral population data, mostly as part of the Modernising Medical Microbiology Consortium. Within the next few years the universal availability of complete genome sequence data for every microbiology sample taken in routine healthcare will revolutionize the surveillance, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. Applications include identifying outbreaks and transmission events, predicting phenotype and understanding evolution and epidemiology. We are now seeing the fruits of several years of capacity building and basic research in a field with clear applications and translational potential that we are also involved in exploiting.
I also lead a small laboratory group that uses modern high-throughput methods to undertake a broad range of genomics assays (see publications list for some details of past work).
Full list of publications
Research Group
Lab
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