Overview
Dr James Butler is an Associate Lecturer in Medical Sciences in the Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences within the Medical School at the University of Exeter. He mainly has teaching responsibilities on the BSc Medical Sciences, BSc Neuroscience, BSc Sport and Exercise Medical Sciences, and BMBS Medicine programmes. His area of expertise is microbiology, although he has experience in immunology and his first degree was in the wider biomedical sciences.
Prior to moving to the University of Exeter, James was a Post-doctoral Research Associate in Microbiology at the University of Plymouth where he worked on bacterial vaccines. Before that post, he completed a PhD at the University of Plymouth using silver nanoparticles to develop an antimicrobial nanocoating for use in hospital wastewater plumbing systems.
For other online profiles please see below:
Qualifications
- PhD in Microbiology & Nanomaterials, University of Plymouth (2018-2022)
- MSc Biomedical Science (Immunology), University of Plymouth (2017-2018)
- BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science, University of Plymouth (2014-2017)
Research
Research interests
James has research interests in antimicrobial resistance (AMR); particularly where it relates to topics such as infection prevention and control (IPC), the role of hospital wastewater in nosocomial infections, the emergence of novel Gram-negative bacterial pathogens, and the development of bacterial vaccines.
Research projects
- Genomic and phenotypic analysis of emerging Gram-negative bacterial pathogens identified in patients with cystic fibrosis.
- Development of attenuated bovine herpesvirus-4 for the production of safe, inexpensive vaccines to control porcine Streptococcus suis infection and bovine mastitis caused by Escherichia coli.
- Treatment of intramacrophage Mycobacterium abscessus infection with combination therapy.
- Development of an antibacterial silver nanocoating for application to hospital wastewater plumbing systems to reduce nosocomial infections.
Publications
Key publications | Publications by category | Publications by year
Publications by category
Journal articles
Butler J, Kelly SD, Muddiman KJ, Besinis A, Upton M (2022). Hospital sink traps as a potential source of the emerging multidrug-resistant pathogen Cupriavidus pauculus: characterization and draft genome sequence of strain MF1.
Journal of Medical Microbiology,
71(2).
Abstract:
Hospital sink traps as a potential source of the emerging multidrug-resistant pathogen Cupriavidus pauculus: characterization and draft genome sequence of strain MF1
. Introduction.
.
.
. Cupriavidus pauculus
.
. is historically found in soil and water but has more recently been reported to cause human infection and death. Hospital sink traps can serve as a niche for bacterial persistence and a platform for horizontal gene transfer, with evidence of dissemination of pathogens in hospital plumbing systems driving nosocomial infection.
.
. Gap Statement. This paper presents the first
.
. C. pauculus
.
. strain isolated from a hospital sink trap. There are only six genome assemblies available on NCBI for
.
. C. pauculus
.
. ; two of these are PacBio/Illumina hybrids. This paper presents the first ONT/Illumina hybrid assembly, with five contigs. The other assemblies available consist of 37, 38, 111 and 227 contigs. This paper also presents data on biofilm formation and lethal dose in Galleria mellonella; there is little published information describing these aspects of virulence.
.
. Aim. The aims were to identify the isolate found in a hospital sink trap, characterize its genome, and assess whether it could pose a risk to human health.
.
. Methodology. The genome was sequenced, and a hybrid assembly of short and long reads produced. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by the broth microdilution method. Virulence was assessed by measuring in vitro biofilm formation compared to
.
. Pseudomonas aeruginosa
.
. and in vivo lethality in Galleria mellonella larvae.
.
. Results. The isolate was confirmed to be a strain of
.
. C. pauculus
.
. with a 6.8 Mb genome consisting of 6468 coding sequences and an overall G+C content of 63.9 mol%. The genome was found to contain 12 antibiotic resistance genes, 8 virulence factor genes and 33 metal resistance genes. The isolate can be categorized as resistant to meropenem, amoxicillin, amikacin, gentamicin and colistin, but susceptible to cefotaxime, cefepime, imipenem and ciprofloxacin. Clear biofilm formation was seen in all conditions over 72 h and exceeded that of
.
. P. aeruginosa
.
. when measured at 37 °C in R2A broth. Lethality in G. mellonella larvae over 48 h was relatively low.
.
. Conclusion. The appearance of a multidrug-resistant strain of
.
. C. pauculus
.
. in a known pathogen reservoir within a clinical setting should be considered concerning. Further work should be completed to compare biofilm formation and in vivo virulence between clinical and environmental strains, to determine how easily environmental strains may establish human infection. Infection control teams and clinicians should be aware of the emerging nature of this pathogen and further work is needed to minimize the impact of contaminated hospital plumbing systems on patient outcomes.
Abstract.
Publications by year
2022
Butler J, Kelly SD, Muddiman KJ, Besinis A, Upton M (2022). Hospital sink traps as a potential source of the emerging multidrug-resistant pathogen Cupriavidus pauculus: characterization and draft genome sequence of strain MF1.
Journal of Medical Microbiology,
71(2).
Abstract:
Hospital sink traps as a potential source of the emerging multidrug-resistant pathogen Cupriavidus pauculus: characterization and draft genome sequence of strain MF1
. Introduction.
.
.
. Cupriavidus pauculus
.
. is historically found in soil and water but has more recently been reported to cause human infection and death. Hospital sink traps can serve as a niche for bacterial persistence and a platform for horizontal gene transfer, with evidence of dissemination of pathogens in hospital plumbing systems driving nosocomial infection.
.
. Gap Statement. This paper presents the first
.
. C. pauculus
.
. strain isolated from a hospital sink trap. There are only six genome assemblies available on NCBI for
.
. C. pauculus
.
. ; two of these are PacBio/Illumina hybrids. This paper presents the first ONT/Illumina hybrid assembly, with five contigs. The other assemblies available consist of 37, 38, 111 and 227 contigs. This paper also presents data on biofilm formation and lethal dose in Galleria mellonella; there is little published information describing these aspects of virulence.
.
. Aim. The aims were to identify the isolate found in a hospital sink trap, characterize its genome, and assess whether it could pose a risk to human health.
.
. Methodology. The genome was sequenced, and a hybrid assembly of short and long reads produced. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by the broth microdilution method. Virulence was assessed by measuring in vitro biofilm formation compared to
.
. Pseudomonas aeruginosa
.
. and in vivo lethality in Galleria mellonella larvae.
.
. Results. The isolate was confirmed to be a strain of
.
. C. pauculus
.
. with a 6.8 Mb genome consisting of 6468 coding sequences and an overall G+C content of 63.9 mol%. The genome was found to contain 12 antibiotic resistance genes, 8 virulence factor genes and 33 metal resistance genes. The isolate can be categorized as resistant to meropenem, amoxicillin, amikacin, gentamicin and colistin, but susceptible to cefotaxime, cefepime, imipenem and ciprofloxacin. Clear biofilm formation was seen in all conditions over 72 h and exceeded that of
.
. P. aeruginosa
.
. when measured at 37 °C in R2A broth. Lethality in G. mellonella larvae over 48 h was relatively low.
.
. Conclusion. The appearance of a multidrug-resistant strain of
.
. C. pauculus
.
. in a known pathogen reservoir within a clinical setting should be considered concerning. Further work should be completed to compare biofilm formation and in vivo virulence between clinical and environmental strains, to determine how easily environmental strains may establish human infection. Infection control teams and clinicians should be aware of the emerging nature of this pathogen and further work is needed to minimize the impact of contaminated hospital plumbing systems on patient outcomes.
Abstract.
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Teaching
James primarily teaches on the BSc Medical Sciences, BSc Neuroscience, BSc Sport and Exercise Medical Sciences, and BMBS Medicine programmes. He currently has responsibilities on the following modules:
- CSC1004 Fundamental Skills for Medical Scientists
- CSC1005 Integrated Human Physiology
- CSC2005 Introduction to Pharmacology
- CSC2012 Disease, Diagnostics and Therapeutics
- CSC2023 Experimental Design and Statistics
- CSC3019 Translational Medical Science
- CSC3029 Medical Sciences Research Project
- Problem Based Learning (PBL) Year 1 (BMBS)
- Special Study Unit 1 (BMBS)
