Dr. Jay Laver

Associate Professor

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Biography

Dr. Jay Laver is a Principal Research Fellow in Molecular Microbiology at the University of Southampton. His work focuses on the use of controlled human infections to understand the factors affecting bacterial colonization and the interaction of colonizing bacteria with the human immune system. He has pioneered the use of genetically modified commensal bacteria as a means to deliver vaccine antigens to the upper respiratory tract mucosa and is developing molecular tools to turn beneficial organisms into ‘microbial factories’ for therapeutic benefits. Dr. Laver graduated with a degree in Genetics & Microbiology from the University of Sheffield in 2003, where he also completed a PhD on the impact of nitric oxide detoxification during meningococcal infection in 2008. After participating in a year-long student placement at Astrazeneca, he joined the University of Southampton as a Research Fellow in 2012. His career has involved intense collaboration with the NIHR Clinical Research Facility and contributions to the field of controlled human infection studies, particularly with a focus on Neisseria lactamica and its potential role in vaccine development.

Research Interests

Experience

Senior Research Fellow

2012-01-01 — Present

University of Southampton • Southampton

Research focusing on molecular microbiology and controlled human infections.