Paul Kellam is the Professor of Virus Genomics at Imperial College London and CSO of RQ Biotechnology Ltd, UK. He has published over 250 primary research papers, reviews, book chapters and patents. Paul Is a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology and Council Member of the UK Microbiology Society. Paul’s scientific career has spanned the pharmaceutical industry, at the Wellcome Foundation Ltd,  Kymab Ltd and RQ Biotechnology Ltd and academia, at the Institute of Cancer Research, University College London, the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and Imperial College London.

Paul’s research on HIV-1 drug resistance identified one of the essential reverse transcriptase (RT) mutations conferring resistance to zidovudine (AZT) and how multiple mutations lead to high-level resistance to antiviral drugs. As a Cancer Research Campaign Fellow, Paul’s work on Kaposi’s sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV) developed host gene expression arrays to characterise herpesvirus driven B-cell tumours. This identified the B-cell differentiation transcription factor, X-box binding protein-1 (XBP-1) as the host transcription factor that switches KSHV from latency to the virus lytic cycle.

In 2009 Paul established the Virus Genomics laboratory at the Sanger Institute. Paul’s laboratory identified the first influenza disease severity determining allele, in IFITM3 in people hospitalised with severe influenza. Paul’s laboratory has also produced the majority of the genome analysis of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus outbreaks in Saudi Arabia, showing that the transmission pattern of the virus was consistent with multiple transfer events from an animal reservoir and contributing to the identification of camels as the animal reservoir. Paul’s lab also contributed to Ebola virus genome sequencing in Sierra Leone where the international Ebola virus genome analysis helped the WHO control the outbreak and showed the factors influencing virus transmission.

In 2016 Paul became the Professor of Virus Genomics, Imperial College London and the Therapeutic Area Head & Vice President of Infectious Diseases & Vaccines, Kymab Ltd. The Imperial College laboratory continues its research theme of investigating virus and host genetic variation during infection. At Kymab Pauls’ work focused on using the Kymouse to develop therapeutic antibody treatments of infectious diseases and to further advance vaccine research with the Gates Foundation.

During the COVID-19 pandemic Paul worked as the Scientific Advisor to the Vaccine Taskforce. With colleagues Paul formed the BioIndustry Association (BIA), Antibody taskforce, a consortium of biotech companies, academia and charities in March 2020, to identify and develop neutralising antibodies to protect at-risk groups and the clinically vulnerable from COVID-19. This led to the formation of RQ Biotechnology Ltd, where Paul is a co-founder, CSO and part of the team that successfully licensed monoclonal antibodies targeting SARS-CoV-2 to AstraZeneca. At Imperial College, Paul is the Enterprise Champion for the Department of Infectious Disease and the Biotech theme lead for Imperial Global USA.