Dr Russ Morphew

PhD

Dr Russ Morphew

Reader

Department of Life Sciences

Contact Details

Research

Current research is aimed at utilising modern high resolution proteomic technologies and mass spectrometry to investigate protein function and interactions. This work has focussed upon microbial-host interactions and the proteins that act upon this interface. In particular, how proteins can facilitate the invasion, establishment or colonisation of an organism within a host. Present research focuses upon the interaction of of extracellular vesicles released from parasitic helminths on the microbiome. Of interest are the parasitic helminths of economic importance including the liver flukes Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica, nematodes Haemonchus contortus and Teladorsagia circumcincta as well as neglected veterinary parasites such as the rumen fluke, Calicophoron daubneyi, and the equine tapeworm, Anoplocephala perfoliata. Recent research using high resolution proteomics has focussed upon vaccine discovery and the development and response to anthelmintic stress and metabolism. The main driver of future research is to increase our understanding of how proteins interact with other proteins within the same organism, between organisms or within a host. How proteins interact with ligands such as anthelmintics and metabolites are also of interest, including how proteins function in the metabolism and action of anthelmintics and ultimately anthelmintic resistance.

Publications

Allen, N, Huson, KM, Prchal, L, Robinson, MW, Brophy, P & Morphew, RM 2025, 'Detoxome Capacity of the Adult Rumen Fluke Calicophoron daubneyi Extends into Its Secreted Extracellular Vesicles', Journal of Proteome Research. 10.1021/acs.jproteome.4c00615
Clancy, SM, Whitehead, M, Oliver, NAM, Huson, KM, Kyle, J, Demartini, D, Irvine, A, Santos, FG, Kajugu, PE, Hanna, REB, Huws, SA, Morphew, RM, Waite, JH, Haldenby, S & Robinson, MW 2025, 'The Calicophoron daubneyi genome provides new insight into mechanisms of feeding, eggshell synthesis and parasite-microbe interactions', BMC Biology, vol. 23, no. 1, 11 (2025). 10.1186/s12915-025-02114-0
Northcote, HM, Wititkornkul, B, Cutress, D, Allen, N, Brophy, P, Wonfor, R & Morphew, RM 2024, 'A dominance of Mu class glutathione transferases within the equine tapeworm Anoplocephala perfoliata', Parasitology, vol. 151, no. 3, pp. 282-294. 10.1017/S0031182024000015
McVeigh, P, McCammick, E, Robb, E, Brophy, P, Morphew, RM, Marks, NJ & Maule, AG 2023, 'Discovery of long non-coding RNAs in the liver fluke, Fasciola hepatica', PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, vol. 17, no. 9, e0011663. 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011663, 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011663
Chow, F & Morphew, RM 2023, 'Extracellular Vesicles in Microbes, Pathogens, and Infectious Diseases', International Journal of Molecular Sciences, vol. 24, no. 13, 10686. 10.3390/ijms241310686
More publications on the Research Portal