Our group has expertise in molecular virology, chemical biology, protein biochemistry, proteomics and molecular biology. We value diverse perspectives and experiences in science.
January 2026
Adam Fletcher
Group Leader
Adam studied for his undergraduate and Masters at the University of Oxford before moving to UCL in London for a PhD with Greg Towers (see Our Collaborators). During this time Adam worked on host proteins that bind the HIV-1 capsid, and began to explore how the antiviral E3 TRIM5 coupled virus restriction with immune stimulation. From here, Adam moved to the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge to work with Leo James (see Our Collaborators), furthering his study of E3s. After attending a talk by Satpal Virdee in 2018, Adam relocated to Dundee to learn how to build, develop and employ chemical tools to monitor the ubiquitin system. In 2021, Adam moved to the University of Glasgow to set up a lab focused on dissecting E3 mechanisms in the antiviral response.
Eilidh Rivers
PhD Student
After a short rotation in the lab, Eilidh (she/her) was the first PhD student to join full-time in April 2023, on the CVR’s MRC-funded PhD programme. Eilidh is interested in uncovering E3 ligases that protect the cell from viral infection. Before moving to Glasgow, Eilidh studied for her undergraduate degree and Masters in Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge. Outside of the lab Eilidh can be found up a hill, or playing trad music in the pub. She is currently a PGR Representative, advocating for the postgraduate community at the CVR.
Elliot Moorhouse
PhD Student
Elliot is an MRC funded PhD student at the CVR and joined the lab in April 2025. He is working on a PhD project investigating the interface between HIV accessory protein Vpr and host E3 ubiquitin ligases during infection. He achieved an integrated masters degree (MSci) in Biochemistry from the University of Surrey (2018 – 2022) during which he completed a research project at The Pirbright Institute investigating innate immune responses in Aedes aegypti mosquitos and their roles in orthoflavivirus vector competence. After graduation, he gained experience at The Pirbright Institute as a research assistant. Here he investigated intravenous delivery of recombinant monoclonal antibodies to combat influenza A virus infection using pigs as a robust model for respiratory infection in humans.
Alegna Calderon Nunez
Technician
Alegna successfully completed her MSc in Infection Biology after rotating with the lab in Summer 2025. Alegna returns to us as a Research Technician, providing core support in tissue culture across various projects, and continuing her developing of protocols to capture viral RNA from infected cells.
Harry Scott
Postdoc
Harry completed his PhD and a postdoc with Sheila Graham at the CVR, funded by the British Skin Foundation. During his PhD, Harry explored fundamental skin cell biology in the context of human papilloma virus (HPV) infections, and also developed new PCR tools for HPV biomarker detection. Harry has joined the Fletcher Lab for a short-term project on RNF213.
Alice Wicks
Postdoc
Alice completed her PhD with Danny Huang at the CRUK Scotland Institute, where she developed a protein-based bifunctional molecule to perform targeted protein degradation using the E3 Cbl. During her PhD, Alice spent some time at Astra Zeneca in Cambridge. Alice continues her exploration of E3s as tools for degradation in the lab.
Jiabao (Alex) Zhai
PhD Student
Alex re-joins the Fletcher Lab for his PhD in 2026, after rotating with us in Summer 2023 during his MSc in Infection Biology at the University. Alex will be exploring the evolutionary properties of antiviral genes that allow them to recognise diverse RNA viruses.
Lab Alumni
Emma Davies
PhD Student
Emma (she/her) started studying the interactions between viruses and the immune response during her undergraduate degree in Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge. This interest brought her to the University of Glasgow as part of the Wellcome Trust Integrative Infection Biology PhD programme. Under the supervision of Professor Sam Wilson (see Our Collaborators), she began researching restriction factors that inhibit coronaviruses, using screening approaches. When Sam relocated to Cambridge, Emma continued working on this project with Adam. Outside of the PhD, Emma loves being out in nature and thankfully Adam doesn’t mind her wandering off in the middle of the day to look at birds in the parks bordering the campus.
Allison Ward
BSc Student
Allison is studying towards a Molecular and Cellular Biology degree at the University of Glasgow and joined us in June 2025 for a Wellcome Trust-funded vacation studentship, working closely with Emma on viral RNA sensing.
Arda Balci
Research Associate
Arda was first through the door in 2021 after completing his PhD investigating innate immune responses to Salmonella enterica at the University of Aberdeen. In particular, Arda studied the role of Rab GTPases in bacterial killing within macrophages. Before this, Arda completed a MSc in Medical Virology at the University of Manchester. While in the Fletcher Lab, Arda carried out serious investigation of the giant E3 RNF213. Arda is now working as a research associate at Glox Therapeutics.
Hanna Sowar
Research Technician
Hanna joined the lab as a research technician after an MSc in Brain Sciences at the University of Glasgow. Hanna is now a technical specialist at Glox Therapeutics.
Hollie Jackson Ireland
PhD Student
Hollie (she/they) is an east coaster at heart and grew up in Livingston before moving abroad for high school. They started their academic journey in Biochemistry at the University of Edinburgh in 2016, then shifted to Glasgow for their PhD with Dr Suzannah Rihn (see collaborators) in 2020. Since then, she has been researching TCF7L1: an IFNg-stimulated gene with antiretroviral activity. When Suzannah relocated to Cambridge, Hollie joined the Fletcher lab to work with Adam. Outside of their Virology PhD, Hollie is passionate about creating a positive, supportive environment for all members of the research community. She was the CVR PGR Representative (2022-2024) and is the current Research Culture Intern (2023-2024) in the University of Glasgow’s Research Culture and Researcher Development team. She believes strongly in embracing diversity and striving for equality and inclusion so we can create a community wherein all members are supported and encouraged to thrive.
Zoë Bannister
MSc(R) Student
Zoë spent a year with us from 2023-2024 for her MSc(R) in Infection biology, which gives students 12 months of teaching-free research time. Zoë worked on RNF213 and has since gone on to study for her PhD in the Timms Lab, at the Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, University of Cambridge.
Vojtech Pavelka
MSci Student
Vojtech joined us in October 2023 and was with us for a year, as part of the intercalated Medical Microbiology degree at the University of Glasgow. Vojtech worked with Hollie and Arda on their projects.
Aidan Tollervey
MSc Student
Aidan was a summer student with us in 2024 during his Infection Biology MSc, working on the RNA helicase ZNFX1 with Eilidh. Aidan went on to begin his PhD in the Borodavka Lab at the University of Cambridge.
Roosa Harmo
Research Technician
Roosa was our lab technician for the first year of our existence, and provided us with a bank of genetically engineered cells and DNA constructs that have kept the lab in business 4 years and counting. Roosa then went on to a Graduate Medicine degree at the University of St. Andrews and is currently stationed out in the sticks in the West Coast of Scotland, dropping by when she ever passes through Glasgow.
The Fletcher Lab 