Colin Crump

Dr. Colin Crump is a Principal Investigator in the Department of Pathology at the University of Cambridge's School of Clinical Medicine, specializing in virology with a focus on virus assembly and host-pathogen interactions. His research program centers on molecular mechanisms of viral egress, particularly for herpesviruses (HSV-1) and bunyaviruses (Oropouche virus), leveraging advanced imaging techniques and genetic screens to identify critical host-pathogen interfaces.

Crump's research interests encompass viral morphogenesis, host cell manipulation during infection, and antiviral target discovery. His laboratory investigates how viruses hijack cellular machinery—including ESCRT complexes, Rab GTPases, and lipid metabolism pathways—to facilitate assembly and egress. Recent work demonstrates sophisticated viral strategies for immune evasion, such as HSV-1 UL56-mediated suppression of CD1d antigen presentation and NKT cell function, alongside novel findings on MAT2A as a host dependency factor for BK polyomavirus. His interdisciplinary approach bridges structural biology, cell biology, and immunology to uncover fundamental virology principles with therapeutic implications.

Analysis of Crump's publication record reveals consistent focus on viral egress mechanisms across multiple pathogen families. His team employs cutting-edge methodologies including cryo-soft-X-ray tomography, CRISPR screening, and correlative microscopy to visualize viral assembly in near-native states. Key contributions include defining roles for Rab27a/Myosin Va in bunyavirus egress, CERT-mediated ceramide transport in HSV-1 assembly, and ESCRT machinery exploitation across diverse viruses. This work establishes Crump as a leading investigator in viral morphogenesis with significant implications for antiviral development.

As a supervisor, Crump takes PhD students within Cambridge's Pathology Department but is not available for external consultancy. His research program benefits from affiliation with Cambridge Infectious Diseases, an Interdisciplinary Research Centre facilitating collaboration across virology, immunology, and structural biology. The laboratory maintains active partnerships with imaging facilities including the Pathogen Cryo-Imaging Facility in Cambridge (PaCIFiC), enabling high-resolution analysis of virus-host interactions.