RESEARCH PROFILE

The Infectious Disease Research Group is part of the Controlling Infection theme within the School of Life Sciences at the University of Warwick but has a wide range of research links with other groups across Warwick and beyond.

The Infectious Disease Research Group is located within a first class research department (grade 5), with extensive facilities for molecular and analytical techniques, recently bolstered by a significant investment from the Regional Development Agency, AWM.

The principal objectives of the group are to characterise the molecular genetic attributes which are responsible for the pathogenic properties and antibiotic resistance of a diverse range of human and animal pathogens, understand the evolution of them and open up novel therapeutic strategies. There are substantial interactions with groups working in Protein Structure (D.I. Roper), Chemistry (T.D.H.Bugg) and Engineering (M Chappell, N. Evans) developing a better understanding of cell wall biosynthesis, using both classical biochemistry and systems biology approaches. We have expanding interests in the development of novel diagnostic tools and point of care devices in collaborations with Micropathology Ltd. the Department of Engineering (J. Gardner, J. Covington, M. Cole) and Sarissa Ltd (N. Dale). We have an ongoing interest in the improvement of and detection of contamination within industrial processes in collaboration with MSL Ltd (C.Dow), and also in developing advanced process control systems through Biotek Ltd. Alongside this we are taking novel approaches to improve the microbial process in next generation anaerobic digesters alongside collaborators in Chemistry (A. Marsh and P. Taylor).

BACKGROUND

PhD Microbiology, Bath University 1988

CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS

• Experimental Medicine Network of Excellence Science City - Translational Medicine, with Prof Steven Thornton, Clinical Sciences Research Institute, Professor Christopher G Dowson - Biological Sciences, Funded by: Advantage West Midlands, Project Start Date: 01/08/2008 Project End Date: 31/07/2018
• Inter-Institutional Agreement - Science City TM1 - Clinical Trials (Warwick-led), with Prof Steven Thornton, Clinical Sciences Research Institute, Professor Christopher G Dowson - Biological Sciences, Funded by: Advantage West Midlands, Project Start Date: 01/08/2008 Project End Date: 31/07/2018
• Team CanUK: Novel antibacterial targets, assays, probes and opportunities in bacterial cell wall biogenesis, with Prof Tim D Bugg - Chemistry, Dr David I Roper - Life Sciences, Dr Adrian J Lloyd - Biological Sciences, Funded by: MRC, Project Start Date: 01/10/2011 Project End Date: 30/09/2015
• The biochemical characterisation of pivotal enzymes involved in mycobacterial peptidoglycan biosynthesis Birmingham-Warwick PG grant, with Dr David I Roper, Life Sciences, Professor Christopher G Dowson - Biological Sciences, Dr Adrian J Lloyd - Biological Sciences, Funded by: University of Birmingham, Project Start Date: 01/01/2011 Project End Date: 31/12/2013
• Unesco-l oreal Visiting Fellowship for Vita Majce, with Dr David I Roper, Life Sciences, Professor Christopher G Dowson - Life Sciences Dr Adrian J Lloyd - Life Sciences, Funded by: UNESCO, Project Start Date: 01/05/2012 Project End Date: 30/04/2013
  
  

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SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

• Hattersley J. G.; Perez-Velazquez J.; Chappell M. J.; et al.(2011) 'Indistinguishability and identifiability of kinetic models for the MurC reaction in peptidoglycan biosynthesis' Computer Methods And Programs In Biomedicine 104 (2), 70 - 80 (0169-2607)
• McDowell, A., Gao, A., Barnard, E., et al.(2011) 'A novel multilocus sequence typing scheme for the opportunistic pathogen Propionibacterium acnes and characterization of type I cell surface-associated antigens' Microbiology 157 (7), 1990 - 2003 (1350-0872) [article]
• Bugg Timothy D. H.; Braddick Darren; Dowson Christopher G.; et al.(2011) 'Bacterial cell wall assembly: still an attractive antibacterial target' Trends In Biotechnology 29 (4), 167 - 173 (0167-7799)
• Pacheco, L.G.C., et al.(2011) 'A combined approach for comparative exoproteome analysis of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis' BMC Microbiology 11 (12), (1471-2180) [article]
• Aaron Shawn D.; Vandemheen Katherine L.; Ramotar Karam; et(2010) 'Infection With Transmissible Strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Clinical Outcomes in Adults With Cystic Fibrosis' Journal Of American Medical Association 304 (19), 2145 - 2153

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