ProfessorEdward Holmes
NHMRC Leadership Research Fellow
Faculty of Medicine and Health
- NHMRC Leadership Research FellowFaculty of Medicine and Health
RESEARCH INTERESTs
His interest in the emergence and spread of novel viral infections began in the late 1980s/early 1990s, as this was a time of the highest rates of HIV-associated deaths and when hepatitis C virus was first identified. He has spent over 30 years using molecular genetic techniques to understand the determinants of cross-species pathogen transmission and emergence, including SARS-CoV-2. His work has helped define the barriers faced by viruses as they emerge in new hosts, determine the range of transmission patterns exhibited by emerging viruses, and establish genetic models for host switching.
Currently, he is studying why some pathogens are particularly likely to jump between species and spread, and using metagenomic technology to discover novel viruses and determine the possible microbial cause of disease syndromes (e.g. emerging tick-borne disease in Australia). The data generated will be used to reveal some of the fundamental roles of virus ecology and evolution, and understand the measurable impact of the novel infections on public and animal health. He is also using 'ancient DNA' to investigate the causes and patterns of spread of past pandemics such as plague and cholera.
Applications from potential Ph.D. students are welcome.
FUNDED RESEARCH
- GRANTRevealing the Virosphere using Metagenomics and Artificial IntelligenceAustralian Research Council (ARC)1 Jun 2026People funded by this grant:
- Holmes E
- GRANTExplaining virus diversityAustralian Research Council (ARC)2 Mar 2024 - 1 Mar 2027People funded by this grant:
- Petrone M,
- Harvey E,
- Holmes E
- GRANTRewarding Research 2024Faculty of Medicine and Health1 Jan 2024People funded by this grant:
- Holmes E
- GRANTA Metagenomics Platform to Prevent Future PandemicsNational Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)1 Jan 2023People funded by this grant:
- Holmes E
- GRANTTick Borne Disease Longitudinal Bio-resourceNSW Health6 Jun 2022People funded by this grant:
- Hudson B,
- Holmes E
- GRANTRevealing the soil viral diversity of the Australian continentDepartment of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Federal)1 Jun 2022People funded by this grant:
- McBratney A,
- Holmes E,
- Minasny B
- GRANTHealth Research Council of New Zealand1 Jan 2022 - 1 Aug 2025People funded by this grant:
- Geoghegan J,
- de Ligt J,
- Jelley L,
- Ren X,
- Huang S
- GRANTViruses in Soil: the Unknown UnknownSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences (SOLES)1 Jan 2021People funded by this grant:
- McBratney A,
- Holmes E,
- Minasny B
- GRANTRevealing the determinants of viral emergence and evolution in fishAustralian Research Council (ARC)1 Mar 2020 - 30 Sep 2023People funded by this grant:
- Holmes E,
- Geoghegan J
- GRANTApplication of metagenomics and AI analytics to identify the microbial basis of severe respiratory infections - Institute of Data Discovery for Health (D24H)Innovation & Technology Commission, Hong Kong SAR Govt1 Jan 2020People funded by this grant:
- Holmes E
- GRANTDeveloping a global metagenomic and AI platform for the detection of emerging pathogens - Institute of Data Discovery for Health (D24H)Innovation & Technology Commission, Hong Kong SAR Govt1 Jan 2020People funded by this grant:
- Holmes E
- GRANTCentre for Pathogen DiscoveryDVC Research1 Jan 2018People funded by this grant:
- Eden J-S,
- Holmes E,
- Lo N,
- Sintchenko V,
- Rockett R
- GRANTHalting the re-emergence of fatal feline panleukopenia: the role of parvoviral variants and viral copathogens in clinical disease in shelter catsMorris Animal Foundation (USA)1 Jan 2018People funded by this grant:
- Barrs V,
- Beatty J,
- Holmes E
- GRANTRedefining virus ecology and evolutionAustralian Research Council (ARC)1 Jan 2018 - 31 Dec 2023People funded by this grant:
- Holmes E
- GRANTUsing Metagenomics to Determine the Causative Agents of Tick-Borne Disease in AustraliaNational Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)1 Jan 2018 - 31 Dec 2020People funded by this grant:
- Lo N,
- Hudson B,
- Bunce M,
- Hansen A,
- Holmes E
- GRANTMedical Research Council30 Mar 2016 - 30 Sep 2017People funded by this grant:
- Carroll M,
- Faria N,
- Holmes E,
- Klenerman P,
- Loman N
- GRANTProtecting the public from emerging infectious diseasesNational Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)1 Mar 2016 - 31 Dec 2021People funded by this grant:
- Degeling C,
- Coiera E,
- Iredell J,
- Gilbert GL,
- Holmes E
- GRANTThe Phylodynamics of Human Enteroviruses: Informing Vaccine Effectiveness and Outbreak PreparednessNational Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)1 Mar 2016 - 31 Dec 2019People funded by this grant:
- Jones C,
- Holmes E,
- Jones C,
- Dwyer D
- GRANTMaking Green Guard greener: enhancing the efficacy of a biopesticideAustralian Research Council (ARC)22 Feb 2016 - 30 Jun 2018People funded by this grant:
- Holmes E,
- Buhl J,
- Woodman J,
- Wilson K,
- Simpson S
- GRANTGenomics dissection and prevention of bacterial transmission eventsNational Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)1 Jan 2016 - 31 Dec 2018People funded by this grant:
- Holmes E,
- Golubchik T,
- Sintchenko V,
- O'Sullivan M,
- Lan R
- GRANTRevealing the evolutionary and ecological dynamics of avian influenza virusAustralian Research Council (ARC)1 Jan 2016 - 29 Jun 2019People funded by this grant:
- Hurt A,
- Holmes E,
- Klaassen M
- GRANTThe genetic basis of pathogen blocking: elucidating the contributions of the Wolbachia, dengue virus and mosquito genomesNational Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)1 Jan 2016 - 31 Dec 2019People funded by this grant:
- Holmes E,
- McGraw E,
- Young P
- GRANTPacBio long read sequencer for the Ramaciotti Genomics Consortium of NSWAustralian Research Council (ARC)1 Jan 2015 - 31 Dec 2015People funded by this grant:
- Holmes E
