Dr Steven Bates

About me:

I have been active in the area of Medical Mycology for a number of years working on the Molecular and Cellular Biology of the common human fungal pathogen Candida albicans. More recently I have also started working on Zymoseptoria tritici, the main fungal pathogen of wheat in the EU. I am also the local programme director for the BBSRC South West Doctoral Training Programme, and a member of the Microbes and Disease research group.

My research interests are in the molecular and cellular biology of fungal pathogens, with the main focus on the human pathogen C. albicans and plant pathogen Z. tritici, as model organisms to identify and study fungal virulence factors.

A striking feature of Candida albicans is its ability to grow in a variety of morphological forms, ranging from budding yeast to true hyphae with parallel-sided walls. The ability to switch between morphological forms is linked to virulence. My work concentrates on understanding the mechanisms that establish and regulate polarised growth in the different morphological forms, and the interplay of such processes with the cell cycle. My other main research interest in C. albicans is in identifying the cell surface and secreted epitopes that contribute to the host-fungal interaction and virulence. This currently includes the dissection of a family of secreted proteins that could potentially be targeted to enhance the host defeence response against the pathogen.

In addition to working on human fungal pathogens I also now work on Zymoseptoria tritici, the main fungal pathogen of wheat in the EU. This work focuses on the role of cell wall and secreted factors in the host-pathogen interaction, plus how the pathogen acquires nutrients from the host during the early symptomless phase on the infection proces.

2006-2007 Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice, University of Exeter
1993-1997 PhD Molecular Microbiology, University of Leicester
1990-1993 BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences, University of Leicester

2012-present Senior Lecturer in Molecular Microbiology, University of Exeter
2006-2012 Lecturer in Molecular Microbiology, University of Exeter
2003-2006 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Aberdeen
2001-2003 Senior Scientist, Oxford GlycoSciences UK Ltd
2000-2001 Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Sheffield
1998-2000 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Aberdeen
1997-1998 Postdoctoral Research Assistant, University of Leicester