Dr Chloe Singleton

About me:

I am a Lecturer in Biochemistry and Senior Tutor for all 1st year undergraduate students in the Depatment of Biosciences. I am module lead for Biochemistry (BIO1332) which is a core 1st year module for all Biosciences students and Bioinorganic Chemistry (BIO2091) a core 2nd year module for our BMC programme. I also teach on both 1st and 2nd year Organic Chemisty modules (BIO1345 & BIO2085), General Chemistry (BIO1347), and Phamacology and Medicinal Chemistry (BIO3041).

I am supervisor and PI of the Univeristy of Exeter's iGEM teams. The International Genetically Engineered Machine competition has been running annually since 2003. Multidisciplinary teams of undergraduate students work on a summer project to build genetically engineered systems using standard biological parts to solve real-world challenges. However, iGEM is more than just lab work, with teams being required to consider and address the safety, security and human and environmental implications of their work. They are also required to produce a Wiki documenting their project. At the end of the summer the teams gather together at the Giant Jamboree to present the results of their project to the iGEM community.

Although I am a biochemist by training, in recent years I have become interested in synthetic biology, particularly due to my supervision of the Exeter iGEM teams. My research is therefore focused on the manipulation of microorganisms to enhance and exploit their natural processes for environmental and technological benefit. I design and build molecular toolkits for metabolic enginerring of industrially relevant chassis. These toolkits are modular allowing for rapid changes to meet the chaning needs of industry.

Interests:

Although I am a biochemist by training, in recent years I have become interested in synthetic biology, particularly due to my supervision of the Exeter iGEM teams. My research is therefore focused on the manipulation of microorganisms to enhance and exploit their natural processes for environmental and technological benefit. I design and build molecular toolkits for metabolic enginerring of industrially relevant chassis. These toolkits are modular allowing for rapid changes to meet the chaning needs of industry.

I am able to maintain my research activity through collaboration with 3rd year undergraduate project students who I supervise in the lab for 12 week projects in the autumn term. Recent projects have included:

• A systematic investigation into the relationship between plasmid copy number and gene expression.
• Calibration and measurement of fluorescent reporter proteins for synthetic biology applications
• Construction of a modular, molecular toolkit to allow for E. coli genome modifications.

Please note that as an E&S lecturer I do not have my own research funding and therefore I am unable to offer PhD studentships.

Qualifications:

2002: MChem Chemistry, University of East Anglia.

2008: PhD ‘Metal binding studies of CopZ and CopA from Bacillus subtilis’, University of East Anglia.

2009: PGCE in Secondary Science.

2022: Fellow of the HEA.

Career:

2019-present: Lecturer in Biochemistry, University of Exeter.

2014-2021: Research Fellow, University of Exeter.
2012-2013: Associate Research Fellow, University of Exeter.
2010-2012: Post Doctoral Research Assistant, The Marine Biological Association.
2009-2010: Part time Lecturer of Chemistry, Truro College.
2007-2008: Post Doctoral Research Associate, University of East Anglia.
2003: Research Technician, University of East Anglia.