Top of page
Calendar29 Request Info
Home »  Biology Department »  News Archive

Harrison Austin, ’15, pursues translational research in infectious disease

Posted by Rachael Wilbur
Austin’s research has taken him from Emory & Henry College to the University of Liverpool as he studies infectious diseases. 

At Emory & Henry, Harrison studied factors affecting the development of chick embryos. 

He went on to complete a masters in medical virology at the University of Manchester Medical School and is now working on his PhD at the University of Liverpool (U.K.). 

He has a recent co-authored publication in the journal Scientific Reports.  The article is entitled “Point-of-care screening for a current hepatitis C virus infection: Influence on uptake of a concomitant offer of HIV screening.”

Harrison says, “At the University of Liverpool I have been fortunate to find my way into translation research in infectious diseases. The A&E study on hepatitis C testing showed some aspects of infectious diseases research which are often neglected - the human factor. Specifically, we saw how perceived stigma toward HIV decreased the acceptance rate of hepatitis C testing. This study was important for me personally because it allowed me to see the entire process of translational clinical research; from careful patient recruitment, sample processing, and statistical analysis. This work persuaded me to pursue a PhD in infectious diseases where I have set up a clinical study on hepatitis B immunotherapy and predictive biomarkers.

After my PhD I would really like to build a career in translational medicine and infectious disease but would also like to find a way into more clinical practice.”
  • Harrison Austin in his research lab
    Harrison Austin in his research lab
    Harrison Austin
For me doing clinical research always has the end-point for improving patient care, and that interface between interacting with patients and laboratory work is where I think my strengths exist.

Save & Share:

More News

  • <div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/11-taylor-blevins-19-researches-systematics-and" title="Taylor Blevins ‘19, Researches Systematics and Taxonomic Status of the Nantucket Island Mouse" aria-label="Taylor Blevins ‘19, Researches Systematics and Taxonomic Status of the Nantucket Island Mouse"><img src="/live/image/gid/83/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2400/416_Copy_of_IMG_3314.rev.1502112336.JPG" alt="" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/83/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2400/416_Copy_of_IMG_3314.rev.1502112336.JPG 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/83/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2400/416_Copy_of_IMG_3314.rev.1502112336.JPG 3x" data-max-w="3200" data-max-h="2400"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/11-taylor-blevins-19-researches-systematics-and" title="Taylor Blevins ‘19, Researches Systematics and Taxonomic Status of the Nantucket Island Mouse" aria-label="Taylor Blevins ‘19, Researches Systematics and Taxonomic Status of the Nantucket Island Mouse">Taylor Blevins ‘19, Researches Systematics and Taxonomic Status of the Nantucket Island Mouse</a></h4><div class="lw_news_summary">Blevins is researching the systematic status and biogeographic history of the subspecies of white-footed mice occurring on Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, and Monomoy Islands in southern New England. By evaluating a combination of morphological and molecular characters, she hopes to determine the systematic position and colonization history of the population on Nantucket Island (<em>Peromyscus leucopus fusus</em>) relative to other populations on the islands off the southern New England coast. <a href="/live/news/11-taylor-blevins-19-researches-systematics-and" class="link-with-arrow gold" title="Taylor Blevins ‘19, Researches Systematics and Taxonomic Status of the Nantucket Island Mouse" aria-label="Taylor Blevins ‘19, Researches Systematics and Taxonomic Status of the Nantucket Island Mouse">Keep reading</a></div></div>
  • <div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/910-eamph-biology-majors-present-research-results-at" title="E&H Biology majors present research results at ASB 2019 in Memphis, TN!" aria-label="E&H Biology majors present research results at ASB 2019 in Memphis, TN!"><img src="/live/image/gid/10/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2400/6633_IMG_6940.rev.1564170636.JPG" alt="ASB 2019 Memphis, TN" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/10/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2400/6633_IMG_6940.rev.1564170636.JPG 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/10/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2400/6633_IMG_6940.rev.1564170636.JPG 3x" data-max-w="3200" data-max-h="2400"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/910-eamph-biology-majors-present-research-results-at" title="E&H Biology majors present research results at ASB 2019 in Memphis, TN!" aria-label="E&H Biology majors present research results at ASB 2019 in Memphis, TN!">E&H Biology majors present research results at ASB 2019 in Memphis, TN!</a></h4><div class="lw_news_summary">Rising Senior Biology majors Madison McKinsey, Liberty Sheppard, and Carley Gunnell traveled to Memphis, TN to present the results of their independent research at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the Association of Southeastern Biologists, 26-30 March 2019. <a href="/live/news/910-eamph-biology-majors-present-research-results-at" class="link-with-arrow gold" title="E&H Biology majors present research results at ASB 2019 in Memphis, TN!" aria-label="E&H Biology majors present research results at ASB 2019 in Memphis, TN!">Keep reading</a></div></div>
  • <div class="lw_news_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/news/23-erin-kirk-17-dna-sampling-technique-to-save" title="Erin Kirk, ‘17, DNA Sampling Technique to Save Salamanders" aria-label="Erin Kirk, ‘17, DNA Sampling Technique to Save Salamanders"><img src="/live/image/gid/83/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2133/438_Erin_Kirk-Ampersand-Day-2017_379.rev.1502370950.jpg" alt="Erin Kirk presenting in the 2017 Ampersand Day showcase." class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/83/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2133/438_Erin_Kirk-Ampersand-Day-2017_379.rev.1502370950.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/83/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2133/438_Erin_Kirk-Ampersand-Day-2017_379.rev.1502370950.jpg 3x" data-max-w="3200" data-max-h="2133"/></a></span></div><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_news_headline"><a href="/live/news/23-erin-kirk-17-dna-sampling-technique-to-save" title="Erin Kirk, ‘17, DNA Sampling Technique to Save Salamanders" aria-label="Erin Kirk, ‘17, DNA Sampling Technique to Save Salamanders">Erin Kirk, ‘17, DNA Sampling Technique to Save Salamanders</a></h4><div class="lw_news_summary"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kirk is a Ledford Scholar who is exploring non-invasive methods for DNA sampling of endangered salamanders.</span> <a href="/live/news/23-erin-kirk-17-dna-sampling-technique-to-save" class="link-with-arrow gold" title="Erin Kirk, ‘17, DNA Sampling Technique to Save Salamanders" aria-label="Erin Kirk, ‘17, DNA Sampling Technique to Save Salamanders">Keep reading</a></div></div>

Contact Us

  • Wiley Hall 
    Map of Wiley Hall
    Find a list of our staff and contact information here