Rate My Professor Vernon Ward

Professor Vernon Ward is a Professor of Virology in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology within the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Otago, where he earned his BSc (Hons) and PhD. Appointed to the university in 1993, he has held several significant leadership positions, including Head of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology from 2012 to 2014 and Dean of the School of Biomedical Sciences from 2014 to 2019. Ward also served as Acting Director of the Otago Genomics and Bioinformatics Facility from 2015 to 2017 and Chair of the Management Committee for the Hercus Taieri Resource Unit from 2013 to 2018. He has been the New Zealand Representative on the International Committee for the Taxonomy of Viruses since 2008 and was a member of the Executive Committee of the Australasian Virology Society from 2011 to 2017. Additionally, he contributed to the Otago Medical Research Foundation Executive Committee and the NZ International Science Festival Executive Committee from 2015 to 2019, as well as serving on project steering committees for the Eccles Building and the University of Otago Christchurch Campus Redevelopment.

Ward's research specializations encompass viral pathogenesis, molecular virology, applied immunology, and host-pathogen interactions, with a focus on caliciviruses such as noroviruses and lagoviruses, rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus-like particles (RHDV VLP), and insect viruses including baculoviruses and insect iridoviruses. His key publications include 'Activity and cryo-EM structure of the polymerase domain of the human norovirus ProPol precursor' (Journal of Virology, 2024, with A.M. McSweeney et al.), 'The disorderly nature of caliciviruses' (Viruses, 2024, with V.L. Young et al.), 'Crystal structure of inhibitor-bound GII.4 Sydney 2012 norovirus 3C-like protease' (Viruses, 2023, with A.-R. Eruera et al.), and 'Murine norovirus: Additional protocols for basic and antiviral studies' (Current Protocols, 2023, with C.E. Wobus et al.). These works advance understanding of norovirus structures, antiviral strategies, and viral replication mechanisms, contributing to broader efforts in antiviral research and vaccine development.