Virus cross-species transmission. Defining the immunological barriers to viral emergence

Every day, humans inhale viruses from birds, pigs, and other animals—but most never cause a pandemic. This programme asks why some animal viruses fail to spread in people, while others like influenza H5N1 succeed. The problem is that current pandemic surveillance focuses on spotting new viruses after they have already infected humans. What is missing is a clear picture of the immune barriers that stop most animal viruses before they start. Without that knowledge, public health agencies cannot predict which circulating animal viruses pose the greatest threat. The researchers will tackle three specific questions. First, they will identify which antiviral genes—called interferon-stimulated genes—block respiratory viruses in human cells. Second, they will pinpoint the exact viral proteins and amino acid residues that allow avian influenza to jump into humans. Third, they will map the antibody landscape in humans and key animal species to understand how pre-existing immunity might constrain viral emergence. If successful, the programme will deliver actionable data for risk assessment. Health agencies could use these findings to rank animal viruses by their zoonotic potential, prioritise surveillance, and design vaccines or treatments against the most dangerous candidates before they cause outbreaks. This is fundamental science with a direct pipeline to pandemic preparedness.