Biosciences

About me:

I am a molecular bacteriologist with a strong interest in the molecular basis of bacterial pathogenicity. This information is exploited to devise improved vaccines and antibacterial therapies for disease in humans and animals. More recently I have been working on insects as infection models, and as sources of novel antimicrobial compounds.


Interests:

Molecular Biology of bacterial pathogens of humans and animals, with a strong emphasis on research leading to vaccines against infectious disease.

 

Previously lead research groups which have devised vaccines against plague and anthrax. These vaccines are currently in human clinical trials and should be licensed for use in humans within the next 2-3 years. Also devised vaccines against animal diseases caused by Clostridium perfringens; these vaccines are being developed by industry.

 

Previously been involved in projects to sequence the genomes of Yersinia pestis (causes plague), Burkholderia pseudomallei (causes melioidosis), Francisella tularensis (causes tularaemia) and Clostridium perfringens (causes gas-gangrene).

 

More recently I have been working on insects as infection models, and as sources of novel antimicrobial compounds.

 

Research Grants;

My research has been funded the Wellcome Trust, BBSRC, MRC, Cariplo Foundation, Dstl, US National institutes for Health, US Defence Threat Reduction Agency, EU, One Health Ventures, MS Sciences Ltd, Innovate UK and angel investor funding.

 

Total publications; 380, including works in Nature, Nature Genetics, Nature Communications, Science, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA.

 

h-index; 65 (Web of Science); 67 (Scopus)

 


Qualifications:

2001 DSc Prophylaxis of disease caused by bacterial pathogens of man, University of Plymouth UK
1980-1983 PhD Microbiology, Plymouth Polytechnic UK
1976-1979 BSc Biological Sciences, Plymouth Polytechnic UK


Career:

2021 Emeritus Professor of Molecular Microbiology, University of Exeter
2019 Visiting Professor, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
2019 Visiting Scholar, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
2018 Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Entec Nutrition Limited
2017 Honorary Professor, Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
2016 Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Biosystems Technology Limited
2011-2015 Head of Biosciences Department, University of Exeter
2005 Society for General Microbiology Colworth Prize Lectureship
2004 Visiting Professor, University of Glasgow
2003 Elected Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists
2003 Senior Fellow, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory Porton Down
2002 Visiting Professor of Bacterial Pathogenesis, University of Plymouth
2002 Honorary Professor, Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London
1995 Individual Merit promotion to Grade 6 (IM)
1992 Head of Microbiology Department, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory Porton Down
1983 Post Doctoral Researcher, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory Porton Down
1983 PhD University of Plymouth
1979 BSc Biological Sciences University of Plymouth

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