Professor Robert Charles Read MD FRCP MBChB BMedSci FIDSA FESCMID

Professor of Infectious Diseases, Director, Southampton NIHR Biomedical Research Centre,Honorary Consultant Physician to Southampton University Hospitals

Professor Robert Charles Read is Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University of Southampton, and Director of the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research centre.

Robert trained in Medicine at the University of Sheffield, UK and completed his Doctorate Degree at Imperial College London, UK. He is Professor of Infectious Diseases and Honorary Consultant Physician in Infectious Diseases at University Hospital Southampton, and is Director of the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre. Robert trained in Infectious Disease and Internal Medicine in various posts in Leeds, Bristol, London and Nottingham, at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, and at the Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) at San Francisco General Hospital, USA. He was previously Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University of Sheffield before moving to Southampton in 2012.

His research interests include the pathogenesis and prevention of infections arising within or involving the respiratory tract. He has a major interest in the use of controlled human infection to investigate pathogenesis, immunology and prevention of upper respiratory tract colonization by pathogens.

Professor Read is a full member of the UK Joint Committee for Vaccines and Immunisation (JCVI). He is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Infection, and Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases. He is an NIHR Senior Investigator.

He  previously had a leadership role as Head of School of Clinical & Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton (2014-2019). Nationally he was Chair of the Infectious Disease and Clinical Microbiology NIHR Clinical Research Network and Chaired the Postdoctoral Awards panel for the NIHR Trainee Coordinating Centre (2010-2015). Internationally, he was a member of Council of the European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (2005-2012), and chaired the Program Committee of the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) (2013). He has been an appointed member of expert advisory groups for the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, the UK Department of Health and the European Medicines Agency.

Qualifications

• B.Med.Sci.(Physiology), University of Sheffield
• M.B. Ch.B, University of Sheffield
• M.R.C.P., UK 1985
• M.D., Sheffield 1992
• F.R.C.P. London 1997
• FRCP Glasgow 2006

Appointments

• Professor of Infectious Diseases University of Sheffield (1995-2012)
• Peel Medical Research Trust Travelling Fellow San Francisco General Hospital (1994-1995)
• Senior Registrar in Medicine and Infectious Diseases to the Nottingham and Sheffield Hospitals UK (1991-1994)
• Research Fellow, Hon. Registrar, National Heart and Lung Institute, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, (1988-1991)
• Registrar in Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Northwick Park Hospital and Clinical Research Centre, Harrow, (1986-1988)
• Registrar in Medicine Bristol Royal Infirmary (1983-1985)
• Senior House Officer in Medicine, Leeds Teaching Hospitals (1983-1985)
• Pre-Registration House Officer, Royal Hallamshire Hospital Sheffield (1982-1983)