Erica Bickerton

Dr
Erica
Bickerton

Group Leader
The Pirbright Institute
Biography

Dr Erica Bickerton graduated from the University of Surrey with first-class honours in Medical Microbiology in 2006. She then joined The Pirbright Institute and completed her PhD with the University of Warwick, graduating in 2011.  Erica won the British Poultry Council Scholarship Award in 2010 for work carried out during her PhD and is now Head of the Coronavirus group. 

Erica’s current research utilises molecular virology, next generation sequencing and reverse genetics to characterise the pathogenicity determinants of the gammacoronavirus, infectious bronchitis virus (IBV). Infectious bronchitis is the most economically important infectious disease affecting chickens in the UK and affects not only the production of meat-type birds but also the quality and production levels of eggs from layer and breeder birds. IBV is prevalent in all types of poultry flocks globally and continues to be responsible for economic losses and welfare problems in chickens. The aim of Erica’s research is to develop rationally attenuated vaccines for the better control of infectious bronchitis virus and other coronaviruses.

Research interests

Using a combination of reverse genetics and next generation sequencing to investigate the pathogenicity and attenuation of the avian pathogen, infectious bronchitis virus, for rational vaccine design.