Cambridge professor to speak about nature of viruses at free public lecture at University of Leicester

Former Regius Professor of Physic at the University of Cambridge to deliver public lecture on Monday 21 October

An eminent figure in the field of infectious disease is to speak about the nature of viruses at a free public lecture at the University of Leicester.

Sir Patrick Sissons, Former Regius Professor of Physic at the University of Cambridge and known for extensive work on immunology and pathogenesis, is to deliver the Frank May Clinical Sciences Lecture 2013 on Monday 21 October.

Graduating from St. Mary's Hospital, London, Sir Patrick Sissons undertook his postgraduate clinical and research training in nephrology and immunology in the Department of Medicine at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School (RPMS), in London. He acquired an interest in immunology and pathogenesis while a NIH Fogarty Fellow at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California.

In 1988, he moved to the Professorship of Medicine in the University of Cambridge, where with colleagues he established an academic Division of Infectious Disease in the Department of Medicine, developed the Infectious Disease Service and was Director of Medical Services in Cambridge University Hospitals. His group's research focuses on the biology and pathogenesis of human cytomegalovirus infection—part of the herpes family of viruses.

He has served on numerous national grants committees and advisory bodies, becoming Regius Professor of Physic and Head of the School of Clinical Medicine in Cambridge in 2005, and Director of Cambridge University Health Partners, one of five formally designated Academic Health Science Centres in the UK, in 2009. He was Knighted for services to Research and Education in Clinical Medicine in the 2012 New Year Honours.

The Frank May Clinical Sciences Lecture, established in 1991, is usually delivered biennially by a national or international figure in the field of medicine, and funded from an endowment by Dr Frank May MBE.

Dr May said: "The title 'Viruses and how we live with them; Peaceful co-existence or disease?' is one of the most interesting and complex problems in the daily life of medical practitioners. Research into dealing with present and future viruses is a thought-provoking subject and Sir Patrick's lecture is presenting up-to-the moment ideas of progress."

The talk, free and open to the public, will last one hour and take place at 5.30pm on Monday 21 October 2013 in the Frank and Katherine May Lecture Theatre.