Dr Ben Morton

Biography

I am a Reader in Critical Care Medicine at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Following completion of my doctorate in 2016, I have developed a research focus on translational approaches to prevent and treat severe infection. To further my academic training, I spent two years (2019-2021) living and working at the Malawi-Liverpool Welcome Programme where my key focus was to build research capacity in Controlled Human Infection Model research.

 

During this period, I supported the institutional response to COVID-19, including the accelerated opening and clinical leadership of a contextually appropriate high dependency unit to care for hospitalised patients with severe COVID-19 disease. I also led a multidisciplinary team of immunologists, molecular microbiologists and clinicians to deliver the first detailed description of COVID-19 disease in a low-income, high HIV infection-prevalent sub-Saharan African population.

 

Now based in the UK, I work in the development of safe and relevant Controlled Human Infection models to better understand host-pathogen immune responses and infection transmission, and to accelerate the development of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics.

Research interests

Controlled human infection model (CHIM) research. Including Streptococcus pneumoniae, RSV and BCG (as surrogate of TB).

 

Multidisciplinary research to understand and improve outcomes for patients with multimorbidity in Malawi and Tanzania

 

Critical care capacity building research in LMIC settings

Teaching

I am currently primary supervisor for three PhD students: Ibrahim Simiyu (Tanzania), Emma Carter (UK) and Oliver Hamilton (UK). I also support Georgia Hemingway (UK) as a secondary supervisor.

 

I have previously supervised six PhD students (three as primary supervisor) to completion: Dr Wanjiku Kagima (Kenya); Dr Brenda Mungai (Kenya); Dr Mohmad Alsabani (Saudi Arabia); Dr Tilly Fox (UK); Dr Stephen Spencer (UK); and Dr Sangwani Salimu (Malawi).

 

I also support the LSTM Diploma in Tropical Medicine & Hygiene course.

Selected research publications

Acute breathlessness as a cause of hospitalisation in Malawi: A prospective, patient-centred study to evaluate causes and outcomes – Journal: Thorax – Published: 10th September 2025

The burden of multimorbidity-associated acute hospital admissions in Malawi and Tanzania a prospective multicentre cohort study – Journal: The Lancet Global Health – Published: 25th July 2025

Understanding the interaction of upper respiratory tract infection with respiratory syncytial virus and Streptococcus pneumoniae using a human challenge model a multicenter, randomized controlled study protocol – Journal: PLoS ONE – Published: 1st July 2025

Spatially resolved single-cell atlas unveils a distinct cellular signature of fatal lung COVID-19 in a Malawian population – Journal: Nature Medicine – Published: 20th November 2024

Interdisciplinary perspectives on multimorbidity in Africa: Developing an expanded conceptual model – Journal: PLOS Global Public Health – Published: 30th July 2024

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