Scientific Advisory Group for Antibody Testing

This page contains the terms of reference (TOR) and membership for the Scientific Advisory Group for Antibody Testing.

This group concluded in May 2022 as part of the ‘Living with COVID-19’ strategy

Terms of reference

1. Act as a key element of the governance and assurance structure for serology testing by providing independent scientific advice and critique of policy and operational proposals on the deployment of serology testing within the context of the latest understanding on virology, immunology and the diagnostic and serology landscape in relation to SARS-CoV-2.

2. Internal governance is subject to constant review, but in short the advisory group will form a key part of the assurance process for policy development and implementation and ultimately deliberations will shape the advice provided to senior officials and ministers.

3. The group’s expertise will cover:

  • virology (clinical and cellular)
  • immunology (B-cell, T-cell and inflammation)
  • diagnostics (research and development (R&D), and clinical)
  • genomics

4. The collective expertise will help inform iterative policy development and inform the future direction and deployment of serology testing in response to SARS-CoV-2.

5. The group should meet regularly, approximately every 8 to 10 weeks. This cadence may be subject to change, based on changing organisational priorities.

6. The decision to terminate the group should be made in conjunction between officials, the Chair, and the members. This position may then form the basis for ministerial decision.

Code of practice

The Scientific Advisory Group for Antibody Testing operates in keeping with guidelines governing scientific advisory committees such as the Government Office for Science’s code of practice for scientific advisory committees (CoPSAC).

Membership

Scientific Advisory Group for Antibody Testing members are appointed as independent scientific experts based on their specific skills and knowledge. The group is chaired by Professor Sir Mike Ferguson, Regius Professor of Life Sciences, University of Dundee.

The members are:

  • Professor Adrian Hayday, King’s College London
  • Professor Alex Richter, University of Birmingham
  • Dr Antonia Ho, University of Glasgow
  • Professor Deenan Pillay, University College London
  • Professor Eleanor Barnes, University of Oxford
  • Professor Julian Hiscox, University of Liverpool
  • Dr Kate Templeton, University of Edinburgh
  • Professor Sir Mike Ferguson (Chair), University of Dundee
  • Professor Mike Messenger, MHRA and University of Leeds
  • Professor Paul Kellam, Imperial College London
  • Professor Paul Moss, University of Birmingham
  • Dr Penny Wilson, UKHSA
  • Dr Rupert Beale, Francis Crick Institute
  • Dr Samuel Moses, NHS
  • Dr Susan Hopkins, UKHSA
  • Professor Dame Sue Hill, UKHSA
  • Dr Tim Brooks, UKHSA Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory
  • Dr Tom Fowler, UKHSA
  • Professor Tracy Hussell, University of Manchester
  • Professor Wendy Barclay, Imperial College London

Standing observers include representatives from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Contact details

UKHSA Antibody Testing
Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London
SW1P 3JR

Email:

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