Translational genomics in critical illness
We use genomics to understand the mechanisms that make people desperately sick in sepsis, covid influenza and emerging infections, so that we can find ways to help them survive and recover.
You can read more about some of our work at the following sites:
- The global GenOMICC Study
- Baillie Gifford Pandemic Science Hub
- ISARIC Comprehensive Clinical Characterisation Study
- The UK Outbreak Data Analysis Platform

It's quite old now, but the broad approach we take is summarised in this perspective article:
Baillie JK. Translational genomics: targeting the host immune response to fight infection.
Science (New York, N.Y.): 2014;344: 807-8. doi:10.1126/science.1255074
Key papers
Selected Publications (*joint authorship) (†corresponding)
(h-index: 85 | citations: 57152 | ORCID:0000-0001-5258-793X )
Morfopoulou S , Buddle S, Montaguth OET, Atkinson L, Guerra-Assunção JA, Marjaneh MM, Chiozzi RZ, Storey N, Campos L, Hutchinson JC, ..., Baillie K, Semple MG, Martin J, Ushiro-Lumb I, Noursadeghi M, Deheragoda M, Hadzic N, Grammatikopoulos T, Brown R, Kelgeri C, Thalassinos K, Waddington SN, Jacques TS, Thomson E, Levin M, Brown JR, Breuer J. Genomic investigations of unexplained acute hepatitis in children. Nature (2023); doi:10.1038/s41586-023-06003-w
Ho A , Orton R, Tayler R, Asamaphan P, Herder V, Davis C, Tong L, Smollett K, Manali M, Allan J, ..., Baillie JK, Thomson EC. Adeno-associated virus 2 infection in children with non-A-E hepatitis. Nature (2023); doi:10.1038/s41586-023-05948-2
Russell CD , Lone NI, Baillie JK. Comorbidities, multimorbidity and COVID-19. Nature Medicine (2023); 29: 334-343. doi:10.1038/s41591-022-02156-9
Hamilton FW , Thomas M, Arnold D, Palmer T, Moran E, Mentzer AJ, Maskell N, Baillie JK, Summers C, Hingorani A, MacGowan A, ..., Timpson NJ. Therapeutic potential of IL6R blockade for the treatment of sepsis and sepsis-related death: A Mendelian randomisation study. PLoS Medicine (2023); 20: e1004174. PMC9925069
Swets MC , Russell CD, Harrison EM, Docherty AB, Lone N, Girvan M, Hardwick HE, Visser LG, Openshaw PJM, Groeneveld GH, ..., Baillie JK. SARS-CoV-2 co-infection with influenza viruses, respiratory syncytial virus, or adenoviruses. Lancet (London, England) (2022); doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00383-X
Kousathanas A , Pairo-Castineira E, Rawlik K, Stuckey A, Odhams CA, Walker S, Russell CD, Malinauskas T, Wu Y, Millar J, ..., Baillie JK. Whole genome sequencing reveals host factors underlying critical Covid-19. Nature (2022); doi:10.1038/s41586-022-04576-6
RECOVERY Collaborative Group . Tocilizumab in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial. Lancet (London, England) (2021); 397: 1637-1645. PMC8084355
HGI C . Mapping the human genetic architecture of COVID-19. Nature (2021); doi:10.1038/s41586-021-03767-x
Horby P , Lim WS, Emberson JR, Mafham M, Bell JL, Linsell L, Staplin N, Brightling C, Ustianowski A, Elmahi E, ..., Baillie JK, Haynes R, Landray MJ. Dexamethasone in Hospitalized Patients with Covid-19. The New England Journal of Medicine (2021); 384: 693-704. PMC7383595
Gupta RK , Harrison EM, Ho A, Docherty AB, Knight SR, van Smeden M, Abubakar I, Lipman M, Quartagno M, Pius R, ..., Baillie JK, Semple MG, Noursadeghi M. Development and validation of the ISARIC 4C Deterioration model for adults hospitalised with COVID-19: a prospective cohort study. The Lancet. Respiratory Medicine (2021); 9: 349-359. PMC7832571
Read JM , Green CA, Harrison EM, Docherty AB, Funk S, Harrison J, Girvan M, Hardwick HE, Turtle L, Dunning J, ..., Baillie JK, Semple MG. Hospital-acquired SARS-CoV-2 infection in the UK’s first COVID-19 pandemic wave. Lancet (London, England) (2021); doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(21)01786-4
Thomson EC , Rosen LE, Shepherd JG, Spreafico R, da Silva Filipe A, Wojcechowskyj JA, Davis C, Piccoli L, Pascall DJ, Dillen J, ..., Baillie JK, Chodera JD, Rihn SJ, Lycett SJ, Virgin HW, Telenti A, Corti D, Robertson DL, Snell G. Circulating SARS-CoV-2 spike N439K variants maintain fitness while evading antibody-mediated immunity. Cell (2021); 184: 1171-1187.e20. PMC7843029
Thwaites RS , Sanchez Sevilla Uruchurtu A, Siggins MK, Liew F, Russell CD, Moore SC, Fairfield C, Carter E, Abrams S, Short C, ..., Baillie JK, Openshaw PJ. Inflammatory profiles across the spectrum of disease reveal a distinct role for GM-CSF in severe COVID-19. Science Immunology (2021); 6: PMC8128298
Pairo-Castineira E , Clohisey S, Klaric L, Bretherick AD, Rawlik K, Pasko D, Walker S, Parkinson N, Fourman MH, Russell CD, ..., Baillie JK. Genetic mechanisms of critical illness in COVID-19. Nature (2020); 591: 92-98. doi:10.1038/s41586-020-03065-y
Bretherick AD , Canela-Xandri O, Joshi PK, Clark DW, Rawlik K, Boutin TS, Zeng Y, Amador C, Navarro P, Rudan I, ..., Baillie JK, Haley C. Linking protein to phenotype with Mendelian Randomization detects 38 proteins with causal roles in human diseases and traits. PLoS Genetics (2020); 16: e1008785. PMC7337286
Clohisey S , Parkinson N, Wang B, Bertin N, Wise H, Tomoiu A, Summers KM, Hendry RW, Carninci P, Forrest ARR, ..., Baillie JK. Comprehensive Characterization of Transcriptional Activity during Influenza A Virus Infection Reveals Biases in Cap-Snatching of Host RNA Sequences. Journal of Virology (2020); 94: PMC7199409
Docherty AB , Harrison EM, Green CA, Hardwick HE, Pius R, Norman L, Holden KA, Read JM, Dondelinger F, Carson G, ..., Baillie JK, Semple MG. Features of 20133 UK patients in hospital with covid-19 using the ISARIC WHO Clinical Characterisation Protocol: prospective observational cohort study. BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) (2020); 369: m1985. PMC7243036
Horby P , Mafham M, Linsell L, Bell JL, Staplin N, Emberson JR, Wiselka M, Ustianowski A, Elmahi E, Prudon B, ..., Baillie JK, Chappell LC, Faust SN, Jaki T, Jeffery K, Lim WS, Montgomery A, Rowan K, Tarning J, Watson JA, White NJ, Juszczak E, Haynes R, Landray MJ. Effect of Hydroxychloroquine in Hospitalized Patients with Covid-19. The New England Journal of Medicine (2020); 383: 2030-2040. PMC7556338
Knight SR , Ho A, Pius R, Buchan I, Carson G, Drake TM, Dunning J, Fairfield CJ, Gamble C, Green CA, ..., Baillie JK, Semple MG, Docherty AB, Harrison EM. Risk stratification of patients admitted to hospital with covid-19 using the ISARIC WHO Clinical Characterisation Protocol: development and validation of the 4C Mortality Score. BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) (2020); 370: m3339. PMC7116472
Li B , Clohisey SM, Chia BS, Wang B, Cui A, Eisenhaure T, Schweitzer LD, Hoover P, Parkinson NJ, Nachshon A, ..., Baillie JK, Hacohen N. Genome-wide CRISPR screen identifies host dependency factors for influenza A virus infection. Nature Communications (2020); 11: 164. PMC6952391
Neyton LPA , Zheng X, Skouras C, Doeschl-Wilson A, Gutmann MU, Uings I, Rao FV, Nicolas A, Marshall C, Wilson L, Baillie JK, Mole DJ. Molecular Patterns in Acute Pancreatitis Reflect Generalizable Endotypes of the Host Response to Systemic Injury in Humans. Annals of Surgery (2020); doi:10.1097/SLA.0000000000003974
Parkinson N , Rodgers N, Head Fourman M, Wang B, Zechner M, Swets MC, Millar JE, Law A, Russell CD, Baillie JK, Clohisey S. Dynamic data-driven meta-analysis for prioritisation of host genes implicated in COVID-19. Scientific Reports (2020); 10: 22303. PMC7749145
Clohisey S , Baillie JK. Host susceptibility to severe influenza A virus infection. Critical Care (London, England) (2019); 23: 303. PMC6729070
Baillie JK , Bretherick A, Haley CS, Clohisey S, Gray A, Neyton LPA, Barrett J, Stahl EA, Tenesa A, Andersson R, Brown JB, ..., Hume DA. Shared activity patterns arising at genetic susceptibility loci reveal underlying genomic and cellular architecture of human disease. PLoS Computational Biology (2018); 14: e1005934. PMC5849332
Roach RC , Hackett PH, Oelz O, Bärtsch P, Luks AM, MacInnis MJ, Baillie JK. The 2018 Lake Louise Acute Mountain Sickness Score. High Altitude Medicine and Biology (2018); 19: 4-6. PMC6191821
Arabi YM , Balkhy HH, Hayden FG, Bouchama A, Luke T, Baillie JK, Al-Omari A, Hajeer AH, Senga M, Denison MR, Nguyen-Van-Tam JS, ..., Fowler RA. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. The New England Journal of Medicine (2017); 376: 584-594. PMC5362064
Baillie JK , Arner E, Daub C, De Hoon M, Itoh M, Kawaji H, Lassmann T, Carninci P, Forrest ARR, Hayashizaki Y, Faulkner GJ, ..., Hume DA. Analysis of the human monocyte-derived macrophage transcriptome and response to lipopolysaccharide provides new insights into genetic aetiology of inflammatory bowel disease. PLoS Genetics (2017); 13: e1006641. PMC5358891
Baillie JK . Translational genomics. Targeting the host immune response to fight infection. Science (New York, N.Y.) (2014); 344: 807-8. doi:10.1126/science.1255074
Dunning JW , Merson L, Rohde GGU, Gao Z, Semple MG, Tran D, Gordon A, Olliaro PL, Khoo SH, Bruzzone R, ..., Baillie JK. Open source clinical science for emerging infections. The Lancet. Infectious Diseases (2014); 14: 8-9. PMC7158987
Forrest ARR*, Kawaji H*, Rehli M*, Baillie JK*, , de Hoon MJL, Haberle V, Lassmann T, Kulakovskiy IV, Lizio M, Itoh M, Andersson R, Mungall CJ, Meehan TF, Schmeier S, ..., Hayashizaki Y. A promoter-level mammalian expression atlas. Nature (2014); 507: 462-70. PMC4529748
Hall DP , MacCormick IJC, Phythian-Adams AT, Rzechorzek NM, Hope-Jones D, Cosens S, Jackson S, Bates MGD, Collier DJ, Hume DA, ..., Baillie JK. Network analysis reveals distinct clinical syndromes underlying acute mountain sickness. Plos One (2014); 9: e81229. PMC3898916
Baillie JK , Digard P. Influenza–time to target the host? The New England Journal of Medicine (2013); 369: 191-3. doi:10.1056/NEJMcibr1304414
Everitt AR , Clare S, Pertel T, John SP, Wash RS, Smith SE, Chin CR, Feeley EM, Sims JS, Adams DJ, ..., Baillie JK, Walsh TS, Hume DA, Palotie A, Xue Y, Colonna V, Tyler-Smith C, Dunning J, Gordon SB, Smyth RL, Openshaw PJ, Dougan G, Brass AL, Kellam P. IFITM3 restricts the morbidity and mortality associated with influenza. Nature (2012); 484: 519-23. PMC3648786
Baillie JK , Barnett MW, Upton KR, Gerhardt DJ, Richmond TA, De Sapio F, Brennan PM, Rizzu P, Smith S, Fell M, Talbot RT, ..., Faulkner GJ. Somatic retrotransposition alters the genetic landscape of the human brain. Nature (2011); 479: 534-7. PMC3224101
Funding
We are very grateful to recieve funding from the following sources: Wellcome Trust, BBSRC, Sepsis Research (FEAT), Intensive Care Society, MRC.
Contact
Email: web_enquiries@baillielab.net