Gill Elliott

Professor Gill Elliott is a Professor of Virology at the University of Surrey, based in the Department of Microbial and Cellular Sciences within the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. Her research focuses on the cell biology of herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection, particularly how HSV hijacks cellular machinery to assemble viral particles. She has held academic positions at institutions including the University of Leeds, Marie Curie Research Institute, and Imperial College London, with a career spanning over three decades in virology research.

After completing a BSc in Microbiology at Queen's University Belfast, she earned her PhD working on the molecular biology of mumps virus. Her postdoctoral research at the University of Oxford explored HIV transcription mechanisms, leading to her Wellcome Trust-funded work on herpesviruses at the University of Leeds. Key career milestones include a MRC Senior Non-Clinical Fellowship at Imperial College London before joining the University of Surrey in 2013.

Her research group investigates HSV's exploitation of the cellular secretory pathway during assembly, viral-host interactions, and antiviral target identification. They employ advanced techniques like live-cell imaging and siRNA depletion. Notable achievements include defining roles for VP22 and VHS proteins in transcriptome remodeling and viral assembly dynamics.

Recent grants include £500,000 awarded in 2019 to investigate HSV pathogenesis. Her work bridges fundamental virology with clinical applications, aiming to combat HSV's global health impact through antiviral development.