About Us

The NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Gastrointestinal Infections is one of 14 HPRUs across England, part of a £58.7 million investment by the NIHR to protect the health of the nation. The NIHR HPRU in Gastrointestinal Infections at the University of Liverpool is a partnership with the UK Heath Security Agency (UKHSA) and the University of Warwick working in partnership to exploit synergy, world-class facilities, and breadth and depth in relevant research between these institutions.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funds, enables and delivers world-leading health and social care research that improves people's health and wellbeing and promotes economic growth.

NIHR Health Protection Research Units (HPRUs) undertake high quality research that enhances the ability of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to protect the public’s health and minimise the health impact of emergencies. 

About HPRUs

Each NIHR HPRU undertakes high quality research that is used by the UK Heath Security Agency to keep the public safe from current and emerging public health threats.

The NIHR HPRUs focus on collaboration and knowledge sharing, and play a pivotal role in maintaining and growing the UK Heath Security Agency's scientific expertise and future workforce. The multidisciplinary centres of excellence also deliver responsive research to tackle emerging or potential public health emergencies.

About the NIHR

NIHR's mission is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. The NIHR was established in 2006 and is primarily funded by the Department of Health and Social Care.

Working in partnership with the NHS, universities, local government, other research funders, patients and the public, the NIHR delivers and enables world-class research that transforms people’s lives, promotes economic growth and advances science.

HPRU in Gastrointestinal Infections

This research unit on Gastrointestinal Infections will explore and explain the distribution of diarrhoeal diseases in the population, establishing for whom the disease burden is greatest and why. We will resolve how best to deploy novel technologies and develop and apply new methodology for investigating outbreaks and detecting pathogens in the environment. We will generate new models to show how diarrhoeal diseases are transmitted, and investigate how pathogens interact with normal gut microbiota in health and disease. This integrated, multi-disciplinary research programme will generate new strategies for control, meeting the UK Health Security Agency's main objectives of addressing inequalities, protecting the country from infectious diseases, and being an evidence-led organisation that provides answers to public health problems.