Staff profiles

Microbiology

Molecular aspects of bacterial pathogenesis, focussing on:

• Evolution of enteric pathogens.
• Molecular mechanisms of bacterial and viral pathogenicity.
• Development of modern molecular detection techniques for bacterial and viral pathogens.

Current and recent research is being conducted with the collaboration, funding and/or support of:

• Technology Strategy Board
• Dr Paul Weinberger, Enigma diagnostics
• Professor Nigel Minton and Professor Richard James, Centre for Health Associated Infections, University of Nottingham
• The European Union (FP7)
• Dr Gordana Cerovic, Genewave
• Dr Emmanuel Albina, CIRAD
• Professor Xavier Saelens, VIB
• Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust
• Dr Viv Weston, Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham
• Professor Brendan Wren, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
• Dr Nick Thomson, The Sanger Centre
• Professor Mark Achtman, University College Cork
• Dr Thanh Long To and Professor Les Sims, Vietnamese Avian Virology Reference Laboratory
• Dr Georgina Manning and Dr Steve Forsythe, Nottingham Trent University

Research funding in the period since 2008 includes:

• i4i infection control - eLISA, NHS National Institute for Health Research (2009), £35,500.
• Development of rapid diagnostic techniques for avian influenza,  EU FP7 funded research grant (2008 to 2011), £65,000.
• Determining causative agents of UTI in elderly patients, Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust (2008 to 2011), £75,000.
• Determining pathogenicity of Yersinia enterocolitica, Pakistan Veterinary Directorate funded studentship (2008 to 2011), £60,000.
• Portable Rapid Automated Detection and Analysis, Technology Strategy Board funded project (2008 to 2010), £184,845.
• Evolution of Y. enterocolitica infection, NTU VC funded studentship, (2008-2011), £49,735.
• MLSA of the Yersinia genus, NTU VC funded studentship, (2010-2013), £52,423.

• Reviewer for Journal of Medical Microbiology, Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 
• Reviewer for Journal of Clinical Microbiology.
• Delegate in EU avian influenza emergency meetings. 
• Member of development and evaluation team for Reference lab molecular diagnostic tests.
• Member of Society for General Microbiology.
• Book reviewer for Society Journal.

Opportunities may exist in projects examining the molecular mechanisms of disease in Y. enterocolitica, including development of relevant infection models, and comparative genomic analysis of isolates.

Opportunities to carry out postgraduate research towards an MPhil/PhD or MSc by research exist in all the areas identified above.

Further information may be obtained from the University Graduate School.