Three Manchester teachers recognized in King’s birthday honors list

Paul Klapper is Professor of Clinical Virology at the University of Manchester. He began his career in virology in 1976 working as a laboratory technician at Booth Hall Children’s Hospital. He completed his PhD while working at Manchester Royal Infirmary for the diagnosis of herpes simplex encephalitis – a subject he continued to work on for over 20 years and led to the development of a reliable molecular test for the condition. He also helped establish independent quality assurance testing in the early days of viral molecular diagnostic testing.

Throughout his career, Professor Klapper has been at the forefront of several key developments in viral diagnostic testing. In particular, he worked with the Greater Manchester Hepatitis C Testing Strategy, developing community-based testing methods to help control the HCV pandemic. In 1981 he became an NHS clinical scientist, working in both Manchester and Leeds as a consultant clinical researcher. Ten years later, in 1991, he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathology.

On retiring from the NHS in 2012, Professor Klapper joined the University of Manchester as Professor of Clinical Virology. In early 2020, he volunteered to help establish large-scale testing for Covid-19 and became the clinical lead for the Alderley Park testing facility. He also served as a clinical advisor for testing with the Department of Health.

Professor Klapper continues to carry out vital research in blood-borne virus infection and congenital human cytomegalovirus infection.