
The University of West Indies, St. Augustine Campus
Department of Pre-clinical Sciences
Faculty of Medical Sciences
Trinidad and Tobago
The Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of the West Indies St. Augustine Campus in Trinidad & Tobago is situated at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt. Hope and comprise the Schools of Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacy and Advanced Nursing Education. The campus has well-equipped research laboratories with excellent internet and institutional IT support. Virology research at the faculty includes a variety of projects under the banner of our Tropical Medicine (Infectious Diseases) Cluster which, in addition to virology, brings together expertise in virus evolution and phylogenetics, molecular genetics, epidemiology, viral genomics, immunology, veterinary medicine, diagnostics, public health and One Health.
Our virus research typically involves sampling and sequencing viruses from vector, human and animal host populations then using serological, molecular genetic, phylogenetic and bioinformatic techniques to (i) characterise the viruses, their molecular epidemiology and host immune responses against them, (ii) estimate evolutionary histories, past population dynamics and patterns of spatial diffusion, and (iii) infer underlying evolutionary and environmental driving forces. We have investigated a variety of important human and animal pathogens vectored by mosquito, tick, culicoides and bats including dengue, yellow fever, Chikungunya and Zika viruses, rabies virus, bluetongue virus, influenza viruses and coronaviruses. We also maintain strong links with medical doctors and veterinarians, the Ministry of Health, the Caribbean Public Health Agency, and existing Caribbean health networks.
Affiliated through the University at Buffalo, USA.