Paterson has worked in the genetics of host-parasite biology since his PhD in 1997. This PhD work demonstrated the role genetic diversity in the Major Histocompatibility Complex for resistance to helminth infection in sheep. He has since developed an international profile in both the genetic determinants of host resistance and parasite infectivity. His work spans laboratory, field and clinical studies and includes studies of both bacterial and helminth pathogens. In recent years, he has pioneered the application of genomic analyses to replicated, experimental systems to understand the mode and tempo of evolution on host and parasite genomes and has applied these insights to veterinary and medical problems, such as the emergence of drug resistance in pathogen populations. Of especial relevance to this program, he has recently completed the Fasciola hepatica genome sequence, which is a trematode parasite that causes substantial economic losses in livestock production and is an increasing threat for zoonotic infection. He is a director of the Centre for Genomic Research (www.liverpool.ac.uk/genomic-research) and node head for the NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility, and enables research in pathogen and environmental genomics across the UK. Paterson is a core member of the Natural Environment Research Council peer review college. He has a strong track record of post-graduate supervision (7 PhD students as primary supervisor, 8 PhD students as second supervisor and 7 Masters students). Paterson currently has approximately €9m of research funding as a PI or co-PI, which demonstrates his ability to lead and execute research programs, assume budgetary responsibility and to interact productively with large teams of research staff, academics and stake-holders.

The University of Liverpool houses the Centre for Genomic Research, which is an world-leading facility to perform advanced genomic analysis. It has the latest platforms in genomic sequencing, including HiSeq (x2), MiSeq (x4) and PacBio (x2) sequencers, 10X Chromium System (x1), NanoString nCounter system (x1) and robotic library preparation stations (x3). It also houses a single cell genomics laboratory with research activity that includes tissue-specific analysis of helminth gene expression to underpin vaccine development. It has an equipment install value of approximately £5m and an annual turnover of approximately £3m. It services ~300 projects and ~14,000 samples pa.