Role
Dr Negus is a senior lecturer and researcher in Microbiology at Nottingham Trent University. He is also the course leader for the MSc and MRes in Biotechnology. Dr Negus teaches on various microbiology modules at all degree stages. He supervises Masters and Undergraduate research projects based on the predatory bacterium Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus and on the characterisation of bacteriophage.
His research is focused on developing B. bacteriovorus as a “living antibiotic” and developing novel approaches to the treatment of antibiotic-resistant infections. He also conducts research on developing bacteriophage and their products (depolymerases, lysins, holins etc) as potential therapeutics.
Dr Negus teaches on the following modules
- Living Systems
- Introduction to microbiology
- Applied Microbiology
- Professional Skills in Microbiology
- Forensic Microbiology
Career overview
Dr Negus received his BSc (Hons) in Microbiology from the University of Nottingham and obtained his PhD in the laboratory of Professor Peter Taylor at UCL (University College London) where he helped develop a novel treatment for anthrax infections.
Following this, he went on to complete a Postdoctoral position at the University of Nottingham with Professor Liz Sockett, investigating the predatory action of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus in immune environments.
Dr Negus joined NTU as a lecturer in May 2018 and was promoted to senior lecturer in 2019.
Research areas
Dr Negus is a member of the Antimicrobial Resistance, Omics & Microbiota research group, situated within the Centre for Systems Health and integrated Metabolic Research (SHiMR). His research interests include developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, particularly therapies based on new modalities.
Research interests:
- Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus
Dr Negus is interested in developing the predatory bacterium B. bacteriovorus as a “living antibiotic” to treat drug-resistant infections. In particular, he is interested in the forced evolution and isolation of predators with enhanced properties in immune environments. He is also interested in the potential to use predatory bacteria in combination with anti-bacterial agents to treat polymicrobial infections.
- Bacteriophages and their products
Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses which infect and kill (lyse) bacteria. Their mechanism of action means they are effective at killing important antibiotic resistant pathogens and therefore show promise as future therapeutics. To kill their microbial hosts, bacteriophage encode and produce a range of products, including depolymerase enzymes to remove the bacterial capsule, and lysins to explode and escape their host following replication. Dr Negus is actively investigating bacteriophages and their products for the treatment of a range of bacterial infections.
Opportunities arise to carry out postgraduate research towards an MPhil / PhD in the areas identified above. Further information may be obtained on the NTU Research Degrees website https://www.ntu.ac.uk/research/research-degrees-at-ntu
External activity
Dr Negus reviews publications for a number of international journals. He also reviews grants for UKRI associated research councils.
Sponsors and collaborators
- Professor Liz Sockett (University of Nottingham)
- Professor Peter Taylor (University College London)
- Public Health England (Porton Down)
- Pilar Domingo-Calap (University of Valencia)
Publications
Negus, D., Foster, G. and Hoyles, L., 2023. Lelliottia amnigena recovered from the lung of a harbour porpoise, and comparative analyses with Lelliottia spp. Access Microbiology, pp.000694-v3. doi.org/10.1099/acmi.0.000694.v3
Wildsmith, C., Thomas, J.C. and Negus, D., 2023. Complete genome sequence of Staphylococcus casei strain DSM 15096. Access Microbiology, 5(7), pp.000656-v2.
Newberry, F., Shibu, P., Smith-Zaitlik, T., Eladawy, M., McCartney, A.L., Hoyles, L. and Negus, D., 2023. Lytic bacteriophage vB_KmiS-Kmi2C disrupts biofilms formed by members of the Klebsiella oxytoca complex, and represents a novel virus family and genus. Journal of Applied Microbiology, p.lxad079.
SMITH-ZAITLIK, T., SHIBU, P., MCCARTNEY, A., FOSTER, G., HOYLES, L. and NEGUS, D., 2022. Extended genomic analyses of the broad-host-range phages vB_KmiM-2Di and vB_KmiM-4Dii reveal slopekviruses have highly conserved genomes. Microbiology, 168 (9). ISSN 1350-0872
RAYMENT, S.J., GARRIE, K., KAUR, I., MCVICKER, G., STOREY, E., WINTER, J., DE GIROLAMO, L.A., RIMMER, C., NEGUS, D., NELSON, C., THOMAS, J., LOUGHLIN, M. and DALE, J., 2022. Investigating student engagement and making science real during a pandemic: bioskills at home, a case study. Education Sciences, 12 (2): 106. ISSN 2227-7102
Blundell-Hunter, G., Enright, M., Negus, D., Dorman, M.J., Beecham, G., Pickard, D.J., Wintachai, P., Voravuthikunchai, S., Thomson, N.R. and Taylor, P. Characterisation of Bacteriophage Encoded Depolymerases Selective for Key Klebsiella pneumoniae Capsular Exopolysaccharides. 2021. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology.
Raghunathan, D., Radford, P.M., Gell, C., Negus, D., Moore, C., Till, R., Tighe, P.J., Wheatley, S.P., Martinez-Pomares, L., Sockett, R.E. and Tyson, J. Engulfment, persistence and fate of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus predators inside human phagocytic cells informs their future therapeutic potential. 2019. Scientific reports, 9(1), pp.1-16.
Negus D, Moore C, Baker M, Raghunathan D, Tyson H, Sockett RE. Predator versus Pathogen: How do predatory Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus interface with the challenges of killing Gram-negative pathogens in a host setting? Annual Review of Microbiology. 2017. Vol. 71:441-457.
Negus D*, Baker M*, Raghunathan D, Radford P, Moore C, Clark G, Diggle M, Tyson J, Twycross J, Sockett RE. Measuring and modelling the response of Klebsiella pneumoniae KPC prey to Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus predation, in human serum and defined buffer. Scientific Reports. 2017. DOI:10.1038/s41598-017-08060-4. *Joint first authors.
Stabler RA , Rosado H, Doyle R, Negus D, Carvil P, Kristjánsson J, Green D, Franco-Cendejas R, Davies C, Mogensen A, Scott J and Taylor PW. Impact of the Mk VI SkinSuit on skin microbiota of terrestrial volunteers and an International Space Station-bound astronaut. Microgravity. 2017. doi: 10.1038/s41526-017-0029-5.
McCarthy A, Negus D, Martin P, Pechincha C, Oswald E, Stabler RA, Taylor PW. Pathoadaptive Mutations of Escherichia coli K1 in Experimental Neonatal Systemic Infection. PLOS one. 2016. 11(11) e0166793.
Negus D, Vipond J, Hatch G, Rayner E and Taylor PW. Parenteral Administration of Capsule Depolymerase EnvD Prevents Lethal Inhalation Anthrax Infection. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 2015. 59(12): 7687-7692
Negus D and Taylor PW. A poly-γ-D-glutamic acid depolymerase that degrades the protective capsule of B. anthracis. Mol. Microbiol. 2014. 91(6):1136-47
Negus D and Taylor PW. Accelerated Storage Stability Testing of a Potential Anti-Anthrax Therapeutic, EnvD. Bio-protocol. 2014. 4(21): e1281. DOI: 10.21769/BioProtoc.1281
Negus D. and Taylor PW. Purification and Detection of a PDGA Depolymerase from Pusillimonas noertemannii. Bio-protocol. 2014. 4(21): e1280. DOI: 10.21769/BioProtoc.1280