Network Directory

• Professor Rory Gunson, Consultant Clinical Scientist, Clinical Lead [email protected]
• Dr Celia Jackson, Consultant Medical Virologist & Infectious Diseases physician [email protected]
• Dr Samantha Shepherd, Consultant Clinical Scientist [email protected]
• Stephen Hughes, Technical Services Manager [email protected]
• Ann Hawthorn, Site Laboratory Manager [email protected]

Laboratory functions/profile:

The West of Scotland Specialist Virology Centre (WoSSVC) is located in the Glasgow Royal Infirmary and is part of the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board.

We provide a full range of virology tests to our users and our development team are continuously updating and introducing new assays.

In addition to our routine repertoire we are part of The Scottish National Blood Borne Virus Specialist Testing Service which provides specialist testing for blood borne viruses for Scotland. We are also responsible for testing respiratory specimens for national surveillance purposes.

Our website is specifically aimed at providing our users with the information they need to use our service most effectively (www.nhsggc.org.uk/virology).

Our staff are always happy to discuss any problems you may have regarding individual patients or to discuss the quality of the service we provide.

During working hours, the duty clinician can be contacted for advice on patient management, diagnosis and treatment on 0141 201 8722. Outwith these times the duty clinical virologist is available via the Glasgow Royal Infirmary switchboard on 0141 211 4000. There is a consultant available 24 hours a day.

Key Links

www.nhsggc.org.uk/virology 

• Professor Judith Breuer, Professor of Virology [email protected]
• Dr Julianne Brown, Clinical Scientist [email protected]

We provide the following serological and molecular diagnostic services:
 Pre‐ and post‐vaccine immunity status
 VZV IgG detection for immune status
 VZV IgG avidity for diagnosis of past or recent infection in pregnancy
 Molecular typing of post‐vaccine rashes for differentiation between vaccine and wild type virus in rashes occurring <42 days post vaccination.
 VZV molecular genotyping of virus from outbreaks and transmission events
 VZV acyclovir genotypic resistance testing
 VZV viral load monitoring/DNA detection by real‐time PCR from difficult cases which fail to respond to treatment

NB. Commercial prices available on request. Please contact Prof Judith Breuer

• Dr Eithne MacMahon, Consultant [email protected]
• Dr Sam Douthwaite, Consultant [email protected]
• Dr Siobhan O’Shea , Clinical Scientist [email protected]
• Dr Penny Cliff, Clinical Scientist [email protected]
• Ms Emma Cunningham, Clinical Scientist [email protected]
• Fearghal Tucker, Service Delivery Manager [email protected]
• Ms Jane Mullen, Operations Manager [email protected]
• Ms Karen Ashworth, Senior Biomedical Scientist [email protected]
• Mrs Tracey Goodchild, Senior Biomedical Scientist [email protected]
• Ms Catherine Lewis,, Senior Biomedical Scientist [email protected]
• Mr John Ramble, Senior Biomedical Scientist [email protected]
• Ms Jasveen Sehmi, Senior Biomedical Scientist [email protected]
• Ms Andrea Wilson, Senior Biomedical Scientist [email protected]

We offer a comprehensive range of virology services including; screening, diagnosis and monitoring of infections, treatment of community, imported and health care associated infections and infections in the immunocompromised host together with infection control and monitoring of drug resistance.  More than 460,000 routine and specialist tests are conducted per annum with high quality clinical and scientific support.

Our normal working hours Monday to Friday are 8.00am-8.00pm and week-ends and bank holidays 9.00am-5.00pm.Outside these hours the duty consultant virologist and on call biomedical scientist can be contacted via the switchboard on 020 718 87188

Key Links:

www.viapath.co.uk