Nigel John Stevenson

Dr. Nigel John Stevenson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at Trinity College Dublin, specializing in viral immunology and host-pathogen interactions. His research focuses on understanding how viruses, particularly coronaviruses (including SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV), hepatitis viruses, and HIV, evade the host immune system through manipulation of interferon signaling pathways and JAK/STAT signaling.

Stevenson's research interests center on innate immunology, particularly how viruses interfere with interferon-alpha signaling pathways. His work extensively examines viral immune evasion mechanisms, with a focus on:

• Coronavirus interactions with host immune responses
• Suppression of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins
• JAK/STAT pathway modulation by viral proteins
• Interferon production and signaling in viral infections
• Mechanisms of antiviral immunity

Analysis of Stevenson's recent publications (2021-2024) reveals a strong focus on pandemic-related research, particularly concerning SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses. His work spans fundamental molecular mechanisms of viral immune evasion to applied vaccine immunology and public health surveillance. A significant portion of his research examines how viral proteins (such as MERS-CoV-nsp5, SARS-CoV-1 proteins, and RSV NS1) disrupt interferon signaling pathways, particularly the JAK/STAT cascade, by inhibiting nuclear translocation of key transcription factors.

Dr. Stevenson has collaborated extensively with researchers across Ireland and internationally, particularly with colleagues investigating pediatric vaccine responses, wastewater epidemiology, and neutrophil function in viral infections. His research group appears to focus on the molecular mechanisms of viral pathogenesis with implications for therapeutic development.