Dr Ben Temperton

About me:

I am a microbial ecologist, specializing in bioinformatic analyses of ‘big data’ (metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, metaproteomics) to better understand how interactions within microbial communities enable functional diversity and efficiency that is greater than the sum of its parts. As a former professional software developer, I am interested in combining high-performance computing with multivariate statistical analyses to identify putative drivers of function and diversity in complex communities. Importantly, these hypotheses are then tested in the laboratory using model systems. During my postdoc with Prof. Steve Giovannoni at Oregon State University, I was involved in the discovery of (probably) the most abundant virus on Earth, and my current research continues to explore the fascinating biology of this system.

Broad research specialisms:

Marine microbial ecology, bioinformatics, host-phage interaction, community dynamics, single-cell genomics.

My research focuses on the systems biology of marine microbial communities, particularly members like the ubiquitous SAR11 clade which take advantage of communal resources to streamline their genomes to maximize efficiency in oligotrophic environments. This streamlining has an impact on ecotypic specialisation, viral infectivity and defence and community connectedness. Ultimately, co-evolution of streamlined organisms and their communities (particularly their associated viruses) underpins the efficacy of biogeochemical cycling. My research combines bioinformatic analysis of meta 'omics and single-cell genomics with experimental validation of emergent hypotheses in cultured model organisms. I am a strong proponent of open science and founder of the

Bioinformatics Testing Consortium

to improve the quality of bioinformatics via codebase peer-review.

PhD. Microbiology, Queens University Belfast, 2009-2011
MSc Information Technology (Software Engineering), University of Nottingham, 1998-1999
BSc Chemistry (2:i), University Of Birmingham, 1995-1998