University of Liverpool Researchers Receive Prestigious Academy of Medical Sciences Funding to Advance Infectious Disease Research

University of Liverpool Researchers Receive Prestigious Academy of Medical Sciences Funding to Advance Infectious Disease Research

(IN BRIEF) University of Liverpool has announced that two of its researchers, Dr Hayley Lavender and Dr Paraskevi Kritsiligkou, have received Springboard Awards from the Academy of Medical Sciences, providing up to £125,000 in funding along with mentoring and career development support. Dr Kritsiligkou’s research will focus on fungal pathogenic resilience, aiming to understand how fungi resist immune responses and treatments in order to develop new antifungal therapies. Dr Lavender will investigate how Neisseria gonorrhoeae evades the immune system, addressing the growing global challenge of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea. The awards highlight the University’s ongoing commitment to supporting early-career scientists and advancing research that tackles critical global health issues, particularly in infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance.

(PRESS RELEASE) LIVERPOOL, 15-Apr-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — University of Liverpool has announced that two researchers from its Faculty of Health and Life Sciences have been awarded prestigious Springboard Awards from the Academy of Medical Sciences, recognising their potential to lead impactful biomedical research at an early stage in their careers.

Dr Hayley Lavender and Dr Paraskevi Kritsiligkou have each secured funding of up to £125,000 over two years. In addition to financial support, the awards provide access to a comprehensive mentoring and career development programme aimed at helping early-career researchers establish independent research profiles.

Dr Kritsiligkou, a Tenure Track Fellow at the Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, will focus her research on fungal pathogenic resilience—an increasingly urgent global health concern. Fungal pathogens are evolving mechanisms that enable them to resist both medical treatments and the human immune system. With an estimated 6.5 million invasive fungal infections annually and around 3.8 million associated deaths, including approximately 2.5 million directly caused by these infections, the need for new therapeutic approaches is critical.

Her work will examine how fungal antioxidants contribute to immune resistance, with the goal of identifying biological pathways that can be targeted in the development of new antifungal drugs. The award will also support her continued growth as an independent research leader through structured mentoring and training opportunities.

Dr Lavender, a Lecturer in Microbial Pathogenesis at the Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, will investigate the interaction between Neisseria gonorrhoeae and the human immune system. This bacterium is responsible for gonorrhoea, a sexually transmitted infection that remains a major public health issue.

Cases of gonorrhoea in the UK have risen significantly over the past decade, reaching approximately 85,000 in 2023, while global infections are estimated at around 82 million annually. The increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant strains, including resistance to last-line treatments, presents a growing challenge for healthcare systems. Her research will explore how the bacterium evades the human complement system, using genomic and functional approaches to uncover mechanisms that could inform new therapeutic strategies.

She noted that the award will enable her research group to deepen understanding of host–pathogen interactions while supporting the development of innovative approaches to combat drug-resistant infections and expand collaborative opportunities.

Professor Claire Eyers, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Impact within the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, highlighted the University’s strong history of success with Springboard Awards. She noted that previous recipients have gone on to secure major grants and achieve international recognition, reflecting the institution’s commitment to supporting early-career researchers through mentorship, protected research time, and a collaborative environment.

She also expressed confidence that both Dr Lavender and Dr Kritsiligkou will deliver meaningful scientific advances, emphasising that their work demonstrates both the strength of research talent within the Faculty and the potential of targeted funding to accelerate impactful discoveries in global health.

Media Contact:

Joanne Carr
Deputy Director of Communications and Public Affairs
T: +44 (0)7825 434900
E: jocarr@liverpool.ac.uk

SOURCE: University of Liverpool