Lab members
PhD Researchers
Callum Portman Ross
My research focusses on protein interactions between resistance determinants in Staphylococcus aureus and chemicals that act as sensitisers.
Twitter @callumr2017
Tom Hamer
I study S. aureus surface proteins using Atomic Force Microscopy and Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy. Using these super-resolution techniques, I plan to localise a range of surface proteins down to a nanometre scale.
Twitter @HamerMicroBio
Katie Walton
I am studying the cell wall architecture of S. aureus with a focus on cell wall-associated proteins and their secretion. I plan to use a range of molecular and microscopic techniques to better understand how and why proteins end up where they are on the cell surface.
Twitter: @katiewalt0n
Postdoctoral Research Staff
Dr. Mariana Tinajero-Trejo
My research is focused on studying the function and interactions of some of the proteins involved in Staphylococcus aureus cell division.
Dr. Josh Sutton
I research S. aureus cell division and antibiotic resistance. Using microbiological, genetic and microscopy techniques, I hope to better understand the role of proteins involved in the coordination of cell division, and their interaction with other processes in the cell, as well as the mechanisms of AMR.
Twitter @mrjafs
Dr. Lucia Lafage
My research is focused on the bacterial envelope of Staphylococcus aureus. The use of various Electron Microscopy techniques paired with biochemical approaches can help us understand what happens during antibiotic-induced death. I am particularly interested on the exoplasmic space and its role in turgor maintenance.
Dr. Laia Pasquina
My research focuses on understanding the organization and architecture of the bacterial cell wall at molecular level, using AFM. I am currently developing new approaches to improve our current resolution.
Twitter: @Laia_Pasquina
Dr. Abimbola Feyisara Olulana
My research work focusses on deciphering the cell wall architecture of antimicrobial-resistant strains at the nanoscale using high-resolution atomic force microscopy.
Previous lab members
Yuyao Yin
My research focuses on the mechanisms of daptomycin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus.
Dr. Oliver Carnell
I study S. aureus cell division, wall teichoic acids and S. aureus infection.
Dr. Victoria Lund
My work focuses on the application of super-resolution microscopy (STORM & SIM) to bacterial samples. In particular to investigate peptidoglycan synthesis and cell division of Gram positive bacteria.
Dr. Josie Gibson
I'm investigating how S. aureus is able to cause infection, specifically how S. aureus can take advantage of commensal bacteria to promote its own survival within phagocytes.
Twitter: @JosieFGibson
Dr. Grace Pidwill
I'm looking at the mechanism behind augmentation of S. aureus virulence, which is when commensal bacteria protect S. aureus from killing by host immune cells.
Twitter: @GracePidwill
Dr. Bohdan Bilyk
Main goal of my work is to identfy the mechanisms of resistance to cell wall targeting antibiotics in Staphylococcus aureus. I am also interested in studying physiological differences between antibiotic resistant and sensive bacteria.
Dr. Amy Tooke
I'm investigating S. aureus host-pathogen interactions and biofilm formation. I am focussing on the response of S. aureus to antibiotic treatments using an in vivo model combined with fluorescence microscopy techniques.
Twitter @AKTooke
My PhD project is about how human neutrophils (immune cells which respond rapidly to control infections) kill Staphylococcus aureus, a major cause of human disease and death, and how hypoxia interferes with this bacterial killing process. Read more here.
Emma Carlson
My MSc project is investigating antimicrobial resistance in S. aureus with a particular focus on evolving resistance to Gentamicin. I am also investigating potentially undiscovered mode of action by this aminoglycoside in Gram-positive bacteria utilizing various molecular biology techniques including SIM microscopy.
Dr. Viral Panchal
My research focuses on investigating the underlying mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance and how antibiotics kill bacteria using a set of biochemical approaches.
Dr. Kasia Wacnik
I’m studying S. aureus essential proteins involved in cell division and peptidoglycan synthesis using a combination of genetics and fluorescence microscopy approaches.
Dr. Bartek Salamaga
I’m investigating contribution of S. aureus peptidoglycan hydrolases in life and death of bacterial cell.