Professor Linda King

Linda King

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  • The broader aims of virology research < param value='high' name='quality' />
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Associate Dean Research and Knowledge Transfer

Qualifications: BSc, DPhil, FSB
Professional bodies:

Society for General Microbiology, Society for Invertebrate Pathology, Fellow of the Society of Biology

Department of Biological and Medical Sciences - Faculty of Health and Life Sciences

Contact details

Phone number: +44 (0)1865 483241
Email: laking@brookes.ac.uk

Research activities

The themes of my research

Health and environment

My Research groups

Insect virology and protein expression

Details of my research

I am a Professor of Virology and have been Dean of the School of Life Sciences at Oxford Brookes University for the last 8 years until my recent appointment as Associate Dean, Research and Knowledge Transfer for the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences.

Following the completion of my doctorate in molecular virology at Oxford University in 1985, my research has focused on various aspects of insect virology with particular emphasis on baculovirus expression systems. I have published more than 90 papers in peer-reviewed journals, reviews and book chapters, and until recently was Insect Virus Editor for The Journal of General Virology. I have spoken at numerous national and international meetings, including The American Society for Virology, The Society for Invertebrate Pathology, Peptalk, Global Protein Summit and Baculovirus Technology.

I also played an integral role in the establishment of Oxford Expression Technologies (OET), trading under Oxford Brookes Enterprises Ltd, in 1997 and continue to work as Director and Chair of SAB. 

Research interests:

The biology and replication of insect baculoviruses in cultured insect cells and in larvae, with a focus on the role of non-essential genes encoding proteins such as P10. chitinase and cathepsin, and the trafficking of virus proteins and particles through insect cells using a range of bioimaging techniques. We are also interested in the exploitation of baculoviruses as gene expression vectors that has led to patenting of a new platform technology ‘flashBAC’ for the production of recombinant viruses and the formation of spin-off company Oxford Expression Technologies Ltd.

See also Insect Virology and Protein Expression research group

  • Hitchman, RB, Possee, RD & King, LA (2011). High through put baculovirus expression in insect cells. In press (invited review).
  • Murgui-Meca, F, Plata-Munoz, JJ, Hitchman, RB, Hughes, D, Fuggle, SV, Friend, PJ & King, LA (2011). Baculoviruses as a delivery system for gene transfer in organ preservation. In press.
  • King, LA, Danquah, J & Hitchman, RB (2011). Baculoviruses in Medicine: cancer therapies and transplantation. In. Baculoviruses in Medicine, special edition of Journal Invertebrate Pathology (Feb 2011).
  • Possee, RD, Griffiths, CM, Hitchman, RB, Chambers, A, Murguia, F, Danquah, J, Jeshtadi, A & King, LA (2010) Baculoviruses: biology, replication and exploitation. In. Insect Viruses. Ed. Asgari, S & Johnson, K. (Horizon Scientific Press). In press (invited review).
  • Hitchman, RB, Possee, RD, Crombie, AT, Chambers, A, Ho, K, Siaterli, E, Lissina, O, Sternard, H, Novy, R, Loomis, K, Bird, LE, Owens, RJ & King, LA (2009) Genetic modification of a baculovirus vector for increased expression in insect cells. Cell Biol. Toxicol. Epub. Ahead of print.
  • Hitchman, RB, Possee, RD & King, LA (2009) Baculovirus expression systems for recombinant protein production in insect cells. Recent Pat. Biotechnol. 3(1) 46-54.
  • Carpentier, DCJ & King, LA (2009) The long road to understanding the baculovirus P10 protein. Virologica Sinica 24 (4) 227-242.
  • Haines, FJ, Griffiths, CM, Possee, Rd, Hawes, CR & King, LA. (2009) Involvement of lipid rafts and cellular actin in AcMNPV GP64 distribution and virus budding. Virologica Sinica 24 (4) 333-349.
  • Possee, RD, Hitchman, RB & King, LA (2009). Baculovirus Expression Systems. In. Encyclopedia of Biotechnology: Bioprocess, Bioseparation and Cell Technology, Ed. Flickinger, MC. John Wiley & Sons Inc. pp. in press (invited review).
  • Carpentier, D, Griffiths, C and King, LA (2008). The baculovirus P10 protein of Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus forms two distinct cytoskeletal-like structures and associates with polyhedral occlusion bodies during infection, Virology, 371 278-91.
  • Possee, RD, Hitchman, RB, Richards, KS, Mann, SG, Siaterli, E, Nixon, CP, Irving, CH, Assenberg, R, Alderton, D, Owens, RJ & King, LA (2008) Generation of baculovirus vectors for the high throughput production of proteins in insect cells. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 101 (6) 1115-22.
  • Kelly, BJ, Chapple, SD, Allen, C, Pritchard, C, King, LA & Possee, RD (2008). Extended budded virus formation and induction of apoptosis by an AcMNPV FP-25/p35 double mutant in Trichoplusia ni cells. Virus Res. 133(2) 157-66.
  • Hitchman, R, Hodgson, D, King, LA, Cory, JS, Hails, R and Possee, RD (2007). Host mediated selection of pathogen genotypes as a mechanism for the maintenance of baculovirus diversity in the field. J. Invert. Pathol. 94 153-162.
  • Hitchman, R, Siaterli, E, Nixon, C and King, LA (2007). Quantitative real-time PCR for rapid and accurate titration of recombinant baculovirus particles. (2007). Biotechnol. Bioeng. 96 810-814.
  • Kelly, BJ, King, LA and Possee, RD (2007). Introduction to baculovirus molecular biology. In: Methods in Molecular Biology 338: Baculovirus and Insect Cell Expression Protocols 2nd Edition. Ed. Murhammer, DW. pp. 25-55. Humana Press Inc. NJ.
  • Hitchman, R, Possee, RD and King, LA (2007). Recombinant baculovirus isolation. In: Methods in Molecular Biology 338: Baculovirus and Insect Cell Expression Protocols 2nd Edition. Ed. Murhammer, DW. pp. 77-93. Humana Press Inc. NJ.
  • King, LA and Possee, RD (2007) Baculovirus transfer vectors. In: Methods in Molecular Biology 338: Baculovirus and Insect Cell Expression Protocols 2nd Edition. Ed. Murhammer, DW. pp. 55-75. Humana Press Inc. NJ.
  • Hitchman RB, Possee RD and King LA. (2007). Improved Baculovirus Expression Vectors. In: Methods Express: Expression Systems (Chapter 9) pp.147-167. Scion Publishing Ltd.
  • Burden, J, Possee, R, Sait, S, King, LA and Hails, R (2006) Phenotypic and genotypic characterisation of persistent baculovirus infections in populations of the cabbage moth (Mamestra brassicae) within the British Isles. Arch Virol. 2006 151 635-49. Epub 2005 Nov 17
  • Kelly, B, King, LA, Possee, R and Chapple, S (2006) Dual mutations in the Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus FP-25 and p35 genes result in plasma-membrane blebbing in Trichoplusia ni cells. J Gen Virol. 87 531-6.
  • Burden, J, Possee, R, Sait, S, King, LA and Hails, R (2006) Phenotypic and genotypic characterisation of persistent baculovirus infections in populations of the cabbage moth (Mamestra brassicae) within the British Isles. Arch Virol. 2006 151 635-49. Epub 2005 Nov 17.
  • Kelly, B, King, LA, Possee, R and Chapple, S (2006) Dual mutations in the Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus FP-25 and p35 genes result in plasma-membrane blebbing in Trichoplusia ni cells. J Gen Virol. 87 531-6.
  • Burden, J., Nixon, C., Hodgekinson, A., Possee, R.D., Sait, S., King, L.A. and Hails, R. (2005) Covert infections as a mechanism for the long-term persistence of baculoviruses. Ecology Letters 6, 524-531.
  • Burden, J., Nixon, C., Hodgekinson, A., Possee, R.D., Sait, S., King, L.A. and Hails, R. (2005) Covert infections as a mechanism for the long-term persistence of baculoviruses. Ecology Letters 6, 524-531.
  • Saville, GP, Patmanidi, AL Possee, RD and King, LA (2004) Deletion of the Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus chitinase KDEL motif and in vitro and in vivo analysis of the modified virus. J Gen Virol. 85 821-31.
  • Saville, GP, Patmanidi, AL Possee, RD and King, LA (2004) Deletion of the Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus chitinase KDEL motif and in vitro and in vivo analysis of the modified virus. J Gen Virol. 85 821-31.
  • Patmanidi, AL, Possee, RD and King, LA (2003) Formation of P10 tubular structures during AcMNPV infection depends on the integrity of host-cell microtubules. Virology. 317 308-20.

Teaching activities

  • Undergraduate Virology and Biotechnology
  • Postgraduate taught Biotechnology
  • Research students Farheen Raza, Adam Chambers, Elisabetta Locanto

Media enquiries

Contact the Public Relations Office on +44 (0)1865 484452.