Aberdeen takes lead in fight to beat deadly infections

Published on 23/02/2012 01:28

SCOTTISH researchers are to lead a major UK study into one of the world’s most devastating but least understood killer infections.

Invasive fungal infections are responsible for an estimated 1.5 million deaths a year. It was revealed yesterday that experts at Aberdeen University have been awarded £5.1 million by the Wellcome Trust to lead a major UK collaborative study to tackle the problem from the “laboratory bench to hospital bedside”.Professor Neil Gow, chair in microbiology at the university and director of the research consortium, said that, despite the death toll, fungal infections were poorly understood and had much less public awareness than diseases caused by bacteria, viruses and parasites.

Professor Ian Diamond, principal and vice-chancellor of Aberdeen University, said the award would place the institution at the heart of major research and training.