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Leanne Iacono

Senior Lecturer

School of Science & Technology

Role

Dr Leanne Iacono is a Senior Lecturer in Microbiology in the Department of Biosciences at Nottingham Trent University. She is module leader for the Foundation Biology module and course leader for the MSc Biotechnology programme. She teaches on undergraduate and postgraduate modules and supervises research projects. Leanne is Teaching and Scholarship focused and explores specific pedagogical themes as part of her research. She is the NTU Biosciences Theme Lead for Authentic and Engaging Teaching and Learning.

Career overview

Leanne attained her PhD in Microbial Biotechnology from University College Dublin in 2011. During her PhD, Leanne focused on the production of novel enzymes from haloarchaeal microorganisms for biocatalytic applications. She published her findings in the journals Extremophiles and Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.

Leanne subsequently spent 5 years (2012-2017) working as a Fermentation Research Scientist for the Danish Biotech company, Novozymes. She then shifted her attention to Education. She held Associate Lecturer positions at the University of Lincoln and the University of Leicester (2015-2017) and was a Lecturer for 6 years in Further Education and Higher Education at Nottingham College (2017-2023). Leanne holds a Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training and QTLS status. She has a Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (PGCLTHE) and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).

Research areas

Leanne’s position is Teaching and Scholarship focused. Her pedagogical research includes themes that have been inspired by her own experiences and professional interests.

These include:

  • Methods for approaching work-like experience and enhancing student employability skills.
  • Student transitions from Further Education to Higher Education.
  • Interdisciplinary collaborative work between bioscience and creative
    disciplines.

Leanne also supervises undergraduate and postgraduate scientific research projects. Her undergraduate projects focus on the antimicrobial effects of natural products. Her postgraduate projects have been inspired by her experience and interest in extremophilic microorganisms and are centred around bioplastic production from halophilic microorganisms.

External activity

Leanne is a member of the Microbiology Society, Advance HE and the Society for Education and Training. She is a STEM ambassador and participates in outreach activities at local schools and STEM events.

Selected Conferences

  • Course Leaders Conference. 8th September, 2026. Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom. Iacono, L. M., Chaproniere, L. and Walker, S. “Past to Future – drawing on and expanding experience in course leadership.” (Oral presentation).
  • TIESA 2026 Annual Conference. 7th July, 2026. University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, United Kingdom. Iacono, L. M. and Perrotta, R. “Science through art and art through science: An interdisciplinary learning collaboration.” (Poster).
  • Advance HE Teaching and Learning Conference: Success by Design: The future of Learning Now. 30th June, 2026. Sheffield, United Kingdom. Omorotionmwan, B. and Timpson, L. M., “Rethinking Space and Pedagogy: Innovative Team-Based Learning for the Future of Learning”. (Oral presentation).
  • TILT Annual Learning and Teaching Conference 2025. 18th June, 2025. Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom. Rayment, S., Gaunt, E., Timpson, L. M., Chaproniere, L, Adewoye, A. and Garrie, K. “Creating authentic and engaging learning experiences that set foundation students up for success.” (Oral presentation).
  • TILT Annual Learning and Teaching Conference 2025. 17th June, 2025. Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom. Timpson, L. M. and Perrotta, R. “Zooming In with Interdisciplinary Visualisation.” (Oral presentation).
  • 2025 Active Learning: School of Science and Technology Workshop. 21st January, 2025. Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Campus, Nottingham, United Kingdom. Timpson, L M. "Team-based Learning: Weaving in creativity and work-like experience." (Oral workshop presentation).
  • 2024 Bioscience Education Summit. 2nd-3rd September, 2024, Nottingham Trent University Clifton Campus, Nottingham, United Kingdom. Timpson, L. M. and Omorotionmwan, B. “Team-Based Learning in a Lecture Theatre?” (Oral presentation).
  • 2024 Bioscience Education Summit. 2nd-3rd September, 2024, Nottingham Trent University Clifton Campus, Nottingham, United Kingdom. Tonoli, E., Timpson, L. M., Chaproniere, L., Ottaviani, S., Akbari-Borhani, H., Kazim, T., Dafhnis-Calas, F. “Team-Based Learning Applied to Integrated Foundation Year Biology: an NTU Story of Success.” (Oral presentation).
  • Microbiology Society Annual Conference. 8th-11th April, 2024, Edinburgh International Convention Centre, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Timpson, L. M. and Perrotta, R. “Building Alliances: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Learning about the Microscopic World.” (Oral presentation).
  • Horizons in STEM Higher Education Conference. 28th-29th June, 2023, Swansea University, SA2 8PP, United Kingdom. 
  • 8th International Congress on Extremophiles. 12th-16th September, 2010, São Miguel, Azores, Portugal. Timpson, L. M., Liliensiek, A., Liddell, S., Allers, T., Paradisi, F. “A Comparison of two Novel Alcohol Dehydrogenase Enzymes (ADH1 and ADH2) from Haloferax volcanii.” (Oral presentation).
  • 9th International Conference on Halophilic Microorganisms. 29th June – 3rd July, 2010, Beijing, China. Timpson, L. M., Mac Donnchadha, C., Paradisi. F. “Expression, Purification and Characterisation of a Novel Alcohol Dehydrogenase (ADH12) from Haloarcula marismortui, an Extreme Halophile from the Dead Sea.” (Oral presentation)

Publications

Journal publications

  • Timpson, L.M., Liliensiek, A., Alsafadi, D., Cassidy, J., Sharkey, M.A., Liddell, S., Allers, T., Paradisi, F., 2013. A comparison of two novel alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes (ADH1 and ADH2) from the extreme halophile Haloferax volcanii. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 97, pp. 195-203 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-012-4074-4.
  • Timpson, L.M., Alsafadi, D., Mac Donnchadha, C., Liddell, S., Sharkey, M.A., Paradisi, F., 2012. Characterisation of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH12) from Haloarcula marismortui, an extreme halophile from the Dead Sea. Extremophiles, 16, pp. 57-66. DOI 10.1007/s00792-011-0405-0

Articles