Faculty of Health and Life Sciences

Dr Andrea Kovacs-Simon

Dr Andrea Kovacs-Simon

Cell Culture Technologist

 A.Kovacs-Simon2@exeter.ac.uk

 7597

 +44 (0)1392 727597

 Geoffrey Pope 322, 301-309

 

Geoffrey Pope Building, University of Exeter , Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK

Overview

I work as a Cell Culture Technologist in the MRC Centre for Medical Mycology and provide specialist support within the group for cell culture experimentation in host-pathogen research to tackle serious fungal diseases. I am also responsible for the day to day running, servicing and operation of the CMM tissue culture and sporulating fungal laboratories as well as training of tissue culture and sporulating fungus users.

Previously I was working in plant pathology, investigating the virulence of the wheat pathogen fungal species of Zymoseptoria tritici.

Before my interest focused on pathogenic fungi, I had been involved in several projects studying the virulence of human bacterial pathogens including gut pathogens (Clostridium difficile, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Campylobacter jejuni) and bacteria causing respiratory diseases (Burkholderia pseaudomallei and Coxiella burnetii). The highlight of these research projects was identification of the CD0873 lipoprotein as an adhesin of Clostridium difficile, with Steve Michell and Rick Titball in 2014. Since role of CD0873 in adhesion was described, CD0873 has been widely studied by a number of research groups and been identified as a potential vaccine component against Clostridium difficile.

I have experience in a range of laboratory methods, such as

  • microbiological laboratory procedures with bacterial and fungal species at BSL2, BSL3, including handling of anaerobe bacterial pathogens
  • molecular biology methods, for example nucleic acid and protein techniques including transcriptomic and proteomics, genetic engineering and a range of phenotypic assays
  • infection procedures with cell cultures and wax moth larvae (Galleria mellonella)

Andrea Kovacs-Simon (0000-0002-5103-0491) - ORCID

Qualifications

2009-2013 PhD in Microbiology, University of Exeter, UK

2005-2007 MSc in Molecular Biology, University of Szeged, Hungary

2002-2005 BSc in Biology, University of Szeged, Hungary

Career

2021-2022 Research Technician in Plant Pathology

2013-2020 Postdoctoral Researcher, Bacterial Pathogenicity Research Group, University of Exeter, UK.

2007-2008 Research Technician, Cardiovascular Research Group, Medical School, University of Szeged, Hungary

Research group links

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Publications

Journal articles

Wagley S, Morcrette H, Kovacs-Simon A, Yang Z, Power A, Tennant R, Love J, Murray N, Titball R, Butler C, et al (In Press). Bacterial dormancy: a subpopulation of viable but non-culturable cells demonstrates better fitness for revival. PLoS Pathogens
Eyles H (In Press). Use of Chitin:DNA ratio to assess growth form in fungal cells. BMC Biology
Kovacs-Simon A, Metters G, Norville I, Hemsley C, Titball RW (2020). <i>Coxiella burnetii</i> replicates in <i>Galleria mellonella</i> hemocytes and transcriptome mapping reveals <i>in vivo</i> regulated genes. Virulence, 11(1), 1268-1278.
Morcrette H, Kovacs-Simon A, Tennant RK, Love J, Wagley S, Yang ZR, Studholme DJ, Soyer OS, Champion OL, Butler CS, et al (2020). Campylobacter jejuni 11168H Exposed to Penicillin Forms Persister Cells and Cells with Altered Redox Protein Activity. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 10 Abstract.
Kovacs-Simon A, Hemsley CM, Scott AE, Prior JL, Titball RW (2019). Burkholderia thailandensis strain E555 is a surrogate for the investigation of Burkholderia pseudomallei replication and survival in macrophages. BMC Microbiol, 19(1). Abstract.  Author URL.
Bradshaw WJ, Bruxelle J-F, Kovacs-Simon A, Harmer NJ, Janoir C, Péchiné S, Acharya KR, Michell SL (2019). Molecular features of lipoprotein CD0873: a potential vaccine against the human pathogen Clostridioides difficile. J Biol Chem, 294(43), 15850-15861. Abstract.  Author URL.
Smith A, Kaczmar A, Bamford RA, Smith C, Frustaci S, Kovacs-Simon A, O'Neill P, Moore K, Paszkiewicz K, Titball RW, et al (2018). The Culture Environment Influences Both Gene Regulation and Phenotypic Heterogeneity in <i>Escherichia coli</i>. FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY, 9  Author URL.
Vanaporn M, Sarkar-Tyson M, Kovacs-Simon A, Ireland PM, Pumirat P, Korbsrisate S, Titball RW, Butt A (2017). Trehalase plays a role in macrophage colonization and virulence of Burkholderia pseudomallei in insect and mammalian hosts. Virulence, 8(1), 30-40. Abstract.
Charlton TM, Kovacs-Simon A, Michell SL, Fairweather NF, Tate EW (2015). Quantitative Lipoproteomics in <i>Clostridium difficile</i> Reveals a Role for Lipoproteins in Sporulation. CHEMISTRY & BIOLOGY, 22(11), 1562-1573.  Author URL.
Kovacs-Simon A, Leuzzi R, Kasendra M, Minton N, Titball RW, Michell SL (2014). Lipoprotein CD0873 is a novel adhesin of Clostridium difficile. J Infect Dis, 210(2), 274-284. Abstract.  Author URL.
Kovacs-Simon A, Titball RW, Michell SL (2011). Lipoproteins of bacterial pathogens. Infect Immun, 79(2), 548-561. Abstract.  Author URL.
Kocsis GF, Pipis J, Fekete V, Kovács-Simon A, Odendaal L, Molnár É, Giricz Z, Janáky T, van Rooyen J, Csont T, et al (2008). Lovastatin interferes with the infarct size-limiting effect of ischemic preconditioning and postconditioning in rat hearts. American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology, 294(5), H2406-H2409. Abstract.
Mendler L, Baka Z, Kovács-Simon A, Dux L (2007). Androgens negatively regulate myostatin expression in an androgen-dependent skeletal muscle. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 361(1), 237-242.
Mendler L, Baka Z, Kovacs-Simon A, Dux L (2007). G.P.3.15 Androgen status influences myostatin expression in an androgen-dependent skeletal muscle of the rat. Neuromuscular Disorders, 17(9-10), 786-786.

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Office Hours:

Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri; 8 am – 4 pm

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