Massive congratulations to Alan Parker for winning the Translational Microbiology Prize 2026. We caught up with him after his lecture and asked him more about his talk and how it feels to have been awarded this prize.

Great to see this out - comparative PET imaging & biodistribution of 3 agents targeting avB6 integrin - a highly upregulated tumour marker associated with invasion & metastasis. Congrats 1st author Emma Swift & Snr author @drbayliss.bsky.social - great collab with John Marshall @qmbci.bsky.social

Molecular Therapy Family of Journals@moltherapy.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Really happy to see this paper out now in PLOS Pathogens - a really nice collaboration with @alanlparker.bsky.social - led by Kasim Waraich and Rosie Mundy. journals.plos.org/plospathogen...

Identification of a novel fiber shaft structural motif and overexpression of key transcripts elucidated in human adenovirus D 10

Author summary Adenoviruses cause infections with pathologies ranging from cold like respiratory symptoms to gastroenteritis and conjunctivitis. In addition to research on adenovirus pathology, substa...

journals.plos.org

Congratulations to the 2026 Translational Prize Winner, Professor Alan Parker! #Microbio26

A great honour to win this award 🏆 and deliver the prize lecture this morning. Sincere thanks to the @microbiologysociety.org & particularly those who very kindly nominated me…and of course to those who tolerated my talk this morning about how to train your (oncolytic) virus 🦠!

Microbiology Society@microbiologysociety.org · 4mo ago

Translational Microbiology Prize Lecture winner, Professor Alan Parker, hosts their lecture on 'Oncolytic virotherapies representing a transformative approach to cancer treatment' in the Auditorium at 09:00. Read more about their work: https://microb.io/4shI43S #Microbio26

Thank you for the super kind words, Lee! Much appreciated and glad you enjoyed it!

Lee Sherry@leesherry.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Fantastic Translation Prize talk from @alanlparker.bsky.social amazing work going from bench to bedside using oncolytic viruses #Microbio26

Ahead of the 2026 Translational Prize Lecture, Shadia Khandaker interviewed Professor Alan to learn more about his career and how it feels to win a Microbiology Society prize. Read the blog: https://microb.io/4shI43S #Microbio26

Closing a week today (10/04/26) so apply soon if you’re interested!

Alan Parker@alanlparker.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Looking for an awesome new PhD student, working at the intersection of #Virology and #Cancer research, looking to develop new therapies for #Glioma #Glioblastoma. Stipend, consumables and fees (UK/EU rates only) covered. #BeAVirusTinkerer #VITAL #TeamWAVU www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

Looking for an awesome new PhD student, working at the intersection of #Virology and #Cancer research, looking to develop new therapies for #Glioma #Glioblastoma. Stipend, consumables and fees (UK/EU rates only) covered. #BeAVirusTinkerer #VITAL #TeamWAVU www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

Evolution and adaptation of improved adenoviral platforms for the treatment of glioblastoma at Cardiff University on FindAPhD.com

PhD Project - Evolution and adaptation of improved adenoviral platforms for the treatment of glioblastoma at Cardiff University, listed on FindAPhD.com

findaphd.com

(A rare political post - scroll on if not of interest!) I don’t agree with all the @greenparty.org.uk stand for, but I’m 💯 behind the pro-EU and sustainable energy stance and treating all with kindness & respect regardless of race. Their win in Gorton and Denton is a victory for hope over hate.

Want to keep updated with the many exciting things happening in virology research in Wales via the Wales Applied Virology Unit (WAVU)? Then please sign up to receive our newsletter here: eepurl.com/juijf2 Thanks 👍 🔬👨‍🔬 👩‍🔬

An incredibly proud moment, and a nice way to wrap up 2025. I am indebted to the incredibly talented and dedicated VITAL team (pictured) and our commercial partners at Accession Therapeutics for delivering. www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/29...

Are you fascinated by viruses? Would you like to design your own original research project in the UK's largest virology centre? Why not come and do a PhD @cvrinfo.bsky.social - application deadline 6th Jan 2026 (1/1): www.findaphd.com/phds/program...

FindAPhD : The MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR) PhD Funded Programme at University of Glasgow

Apply for a PhD: The MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR) PhD Funded Programme at University of Glasgow

findaphd.com

The Microbiology Society is pleased to announce the winners of our 2026 Prizes! The winners will be awarded and deliver Prize Lectures at Annual Conference 2026 in Belfast from 13–16 April. Find out more about it: microb.io/PrizeWinners.... Meet the winners below. #Microbio26

Absolutely delighted and genuinely humbled to be awarded the @microbiologysociety.org Translational Microbiology Prize for 2026. Hugely grateful to my amazing group (past and present) here in Cardiff, and to all the inspiring collaborators who have worked with us over the last decade or so.

Microbiology Society@microbiologysociety.org · 9mo ago

Marjory Stephenson Prize 2026: Professor Mark Buttner — @johninnescentre.bsky.social Outreach and Engagement Prize 2026: @lindsaybroadbent.bsky.social — @uniofsurrey.bsky.social Translational Microbiology Prize 2026: @alanlparker.bsky.social — @cancerwales.bsky.social

A major milestone for Accession Therapeutics, and a fairly huge personal milestone, also. www.accessiontherapeutics.com/post/accessi...

Accession Therapeutics doses first patient in Phase 1 clinical trial of TROCEPT-01 (ATTR-01), a novel cancer immunotherapy

Accession Therapeutics Limited, a biopharmaceutical company developing next generation cancer immunotherapies, today announced it has dosed the first patient in its Phase I clinical trial evaluating T...

accessiontherapeutics.com

📢📢FINAL CALL!! Closes tomorrow (Mon 20th Oct) Want a cool, blue skies project, integrating machine learning with virology to develop the medicines 💊of the future? Want to join a supportive team with an incredible culture? Apply now! 🧬🔬🧪🦠👨‍🔬👩‍🔬 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

Developing precision guided, viral based therapies using machine learning approaches at Cardiff University on FindAPhD.com

PhD Project - Developing precision guided, viral based therapies using machine learning approaches at Cardiff University, listed on FindAPhD.com

findaphd.com

Alan Parker@alanlparker.bsky.social · 11mo ago

Potential @gw4biomeddtp.bsky.social 4 year PhD project for Oct 2026 start adopting machine learning to develop precision virotherapies - co-supervisors Yukun Lai, @mariekedoesscience.bsky.social, Kerry Wadey & Julian Fischer. Come, make some smart viruses with us! gw4biomed.ac.uk/developing-p...

Great to have this out as a preprint - a fantastic collaborative effort led ably by the dream team of Rosie and Kasim....have a look, the structures are amazing!

bioRxivpreprint@biorxivpreprint.bsky.social · 11mo ago

Identification of a novel structural motif and overexpression of key transcripts elucidated in Adenovirus 10 https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.20.677498v1

Great to have this out as a preprint - a fantastic collaborative effort led ably by the dream team of Rosie and Kasim....have a look, the structures are amazing!

bioRxiv Microbiology@biorxiv-microbiol.bsky.social · 11mo ago

Identification of a novel structural motif and overexpression of key transcripts elucidated in Adenovirus 10 https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.20.677498v1

Potential @gw4biomeddtp.bsky.social 4 year PhD project for Oct 2026 start adopting machine learning to develop precision virotherapies - co-supervisors Yukun Lai, @mariekedoesscience.bsky.social, Kerry Wadey & Julian Fischer. Come, make some smart viruses with us! gw4biomed.ac.uk/developing-p...

Make sure you don't miss our next #Advancedtherapies MDRG on Friday. Hear from Dr Michael Chapman -'CAR-T therapy in haematological malignancy' and Professor Andrew Sewell 'How T-Cells clear cancer' Virtual option available #Research @alanlparker.bsky.social @lifesciencescymru.bsky.social

Very excited our paper describing the development of a precision Virotherapy directly delivering bispecific molecules to tumour cells is in it's final polished form! www.cell.com/molecular-th...

An αvβ6-specific virotherapy expressing bispecific immune cell activators induces immune cell activation to mediate tumor cell death

Virotherapies can deliver anti-cancer therapeutics directly to tumors. Bayliss and colleagues develop a precision virotherapy expressing bispecific immunotherapies from tumor cells resulting in immune...

cell.com

Am Sdeddfod wych!! Diolch o galon i bawb ddaeth i'n gweld ni ym mhabell @prifysgolcdydd.bsky.social, i ddysgu mwy am ein gwaith yn Uned firoleg gymhwysol Cymru Wales Applied Virology Unit (WAVU). Braf odd cal gweld y "firysau" oddachi wedi ei greu o gwmpas y maes!

If you’re visiting #Eisteddfodd today, do speak to the awesome @lunedbadder.bsky.social representing @cardiffunilib.bsky.social, the VITAL lab & HCRW Wales Applied Virology Unit (WAVU), explaining how we develop “#SmartViruses” to treat #Cancer. You can even make a designer virus of your own!

Congratulations to @gw4biomeddtp.bsky.social @atwales.bsky.social funded PhD student Rosie Mundy, presenting her groundbreaking structural and transcriptomic analysis of Ad10 today at the International Adenovirus Meeting at @cardiffunilib.bsky.social centre for student life.

Big moment for the youngest, collecting his first cap for @glamcricket.bsky.social U13 yesterday. Two terrific matches against a strong Gloucestershire U13 but showed their class securing back to back T20 wins. Exciting times ahead! 👏👏🏏 💥

Thanks for inviting me to be an honorary @pharmacycu.bsky.social member for and to talk "how to train your virus" at the ever wonderful @pintofscience.uk event at Tiny Rebel, Cardiff! A great evening talking about crossing the "Valley of Death" and into the clinic with our "smart viruses".

Looking forward to my favourite #PublicEngagement event @pintofscience! I'll talk "how to train your virus" at @TinyRebelCdff on 20/05, discussing how we turned a disease causing "nasty" into a clinical stage anticancer medicine. Grab a pint, pop along! pintofscience.co.uk/event/from-b...

Thrilled and honoured to be announced as a Health and Care Research Wales Senior Research Leader. Looking forward to contributing towards accelerating translational research, shaping policy and mentoring the next generation of researchers in Wales. healthandcareresearchwales.org/about/news/h...

Health and Care Research Wales announces appointments of Senior Research Leaders

healthandcareresearchwales.org