Derek Gatherer

Derek Gatherer is a Lecturer in Biomedical and Life Sciences at Lancaster University, with research spanning virology, evolutionary biology, and BioFutures. His work focuses on RNA virus evolution, vaccine hesitancy (particularly historical perspectives from the 19th century), Herpesvirales taxonomy, and societal responses to historical pandemics like the English Sweat of the 15th-16th centuries.

His research interests include BioFutures, pandemic disease modeling, evolutionary constraints, climate change impacts on biological systems, and extinction studies. His work bridges historical analysis with contemporary virology, particularly examining how past pandemics inform our understanding of current viral threats. He has made significant contributions to the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses, particularly in the Herpesvirales working group.

His recent publications demonstrate expertise across multiple domains: developing molecular diagnostic assays for parasites, analyzing discourse around vaccine hesitancy through corpus linguistics, and studying the tempo and mode of RNA virus evolution. His work shows a consistent theme of connecting historical patterns with contemporary biological challenges.

Gatherer has been highly active in public engagement, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, with numerous media appearances on BBC, Aljazeera, and other international outlets discussing pandemic response, vaccine development, and viral evolution.

He supervises postgraduate research students and teaches courses including Medical Microbiology, Bioinformatics, and Proteins: Structure, Function & Evolution. His recent book "BioFutures and the Legacy of Our Past: Escaping Evolution" represents a major synthesis of his interdisciplinary approach to biological futures.