Dr Simon Wagstaff
- Head of Scientific Computing, Tropical Disease Biology
- Centre for Neglected Tropical Diseases
- Director, Research Computing Unit
Biography
Simon Wagstaff is computational biologist with expertise in multi-omics and high-throughput technologies. As Head of Scientific Computing, he drives technology adoption, workforce training, and mentorship of early-career researchers.
Simon graduated in Biochemistry from Bath University in 1994 then obtained his PhD from the University of Liverpool in 1998. He then worked on the identification and commercialisation of novel markers of skeletal remodelling and on the molecular mechanisms underpinning skeletal remodelling and tumour proliferation. In 2004, he joined the Centre for Snake Bite Research at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and interventions working on exploiting ‘omics’ technologies to improve the understanding and treatment of snake envenoming. Simon established LSTM’s Bioinformatics Unit in 2011 and has since been engaged in a broad range of data science projects throughout LSTM’s portfolio.
Research interests
Simon’s main research interests are in the development and deployment of computational tools to translational tropical medicine. Initially this focused on snake venoms but now includes parasites, vectors, bacteria and viruses. His research is applied and translational – aimed at extracting meaning from biological datasets and solving complex real-world problems, improving predictive accuracy and efficiency, and uncovering hidden meaning and patterns in biological datasets. This involves bioinformatics, but also fundamentals of data transformations, coding, visualisation, specialist hardware and structured scientific logic and their application in biomedical research. Simon is engaged in a number of collaborative projects with other research groups in LSTM and works closely with research groups across the institution to ensure they have access to the best available computational tools and technologies to support their research.
Teaching
Simon contributes to Applied Bioinformatics and other modules throughout the MSc portfolio. He is an experienced educator and trainer and champions technology for all – developing tools and infrastructure to remove barriers to technology uptake and empowering early career researchers to take on their own data challenges.
Selected research publications
Intraspecific venom variation in the medically important puff adder ( Bitis arietans ): Comparative venom gland transcriptomics, in vitro venom activity and immunological recognition by antivenom – Journal: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases – Published: 18th October 2024
Diverse RNA viruses of parasitic nematodes can elicit antibody responses in vertebrate hosts – Journal: Nature Microbiology – Published: 4th September 2024
Different PfEMP1-expressing Plasmodium falciparum variants induce divergent endothelial transcriptional responses during co-culture – Journal: PLoS ONE – Published: 30th November 2023
Wolbachia depletion blocks transmission of lymphatic filariasis by preventing chitinase-dependent parasite exsheathment – Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America – Published: 12th April 2022
Stable high-density and maternally inherited Wolbachia infections in Anopheles moucheti and Anopheles demeilloni mosquitoes – Journal: Current Biology – Published: 7th June 2021
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