After graduating with a degree in biological sciences from the University of East Anglia in 1972 and a Doctor of Philosophy in biochemistry from King"s College London in 1977, Houghton joined G. Doctorate. Searle & Company before moving to Chiron Corporation in 1982.
He is currently Li Ka Shing Professor of Virology, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Virology, Director of the Li Ka Shing Applied Virology Institute, and Professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Alberta. Houghton was co-author of a series of seminal studies published in 1989 and 1990 that identified hepatitis C antibodies in blood, particularly among patients at higher risk of contracting the disease, including those who had received blood transfusions. This work led to the development of a blood screening test in 1990.
Widespread blood screening that began in 1992 with the development of a more sensitive test has since virtually eliminated hepatitis C contamination of donated blood supplies in Canada.
In other studies published during the same period, Houghton and collaborators linked hepatitis C with liver cancer. In 2013, Houghton"s team at the University of Alberta showed that a vaccine derived from a single strain of Hepatitis C was effective against all strains of the virus.
The vaccine is currently in clinical trials. Houghton holds 73 United States. patents related to his research.
A further seven patents are pending.
He was awarded the Robert Koch Prize in 1993, and the Lasker Award in 2000.
