Overview

I am a Lecturer in Biochemistry and contribute to chemistry and biochemistry modules in the Department 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 also the 1st year Senior Tutor for all students on our Biosciences, Biochemistry and BMC prgrammes.

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.

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.

Research group links

• Cellular and Chemical Biology

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Research

Research 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.

Research projects

I was part of the Exeter Microbial Biofuels Group who had previously developed metabolic routes for the biosynthesis of replica fuel molecules (hydrocarbons) in the host Escherichia coli. These artificial metabolic pathways are capable of producing a wide-range of molecules corresponding to those found in retail fuels but they require a considerable number of genetic components to work in unison and alongside the existing complexities of the cell. For industrial scale-up a more suitable chassis is required but the molecular tools and protocols available for culture, transformation and engineering of industrial chassis’ are limited in comparison to model organisms such as E. coli. My research focussed on the development of a molecular toolkit that will allow us to engineer and control both synthetic and natural biological pathways within a non-model organism. The tools are designed and tested using a synthetic biology approach to allow them to be modular and transferable. Synthetic biology uses engineering principles to design and construct new biological parts, devises and systems or redesign natural biological systems. My laboratory work is increasingly utilizing high throughput methods to screen these biological tools: liquid-handling robots and multi-well plate formats. Coupled with automated analytical techniques for robust quantification of target compounds within a Statistical Design of Experiments (DOE) framework, our research group is also developing predictive modeling of complex systems based upon empirical data sets.

Prior to this, my research has involved utilizing a variety of spectroscopic and analytical techniques to:

• Improve the carboxylation efficiency of Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) the key enzyme in photosynthesis (BBSRC funded project).
• Elucidate the function of a protein thought to involved in the calcification of the marine algae Emiliania huxleyi (EPOCA funded project).
• Investigate the nature of heme binding to the Iron Response Regulator (Irr) from Rhizobium leguminosarm (BBSRC funded project).
• Investigate the metal binding by, and transfer between, two proteins, CopZ and CopA involved in the copper detoxification pathway of the bacteria Bacillus subtilis (BBSRC funded PhD).

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Publications

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External Engagement and Impact

Invited lectures

October 2012: The Rank Prize Fund Mini-Symposium on Photosynthesis, Grasmere, UK

February 2013: BBSRC and NSF funded Photosynthetic Ideas Lab Workshop, Arlington, USA

May 2013: GARNet meeting Introduction to Opportunities in Plant Synthetic Biology, Nottingham (on behalf of Nick Smirnoff)

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Teaching

BIO1332 Biochemistry (Module lead):

• Introductory atomic structure and bonding, nomenclature, carbon hybridization, structure and bonding in organic molecules.
• As BIO1332 is a core module across all Biosciences degree courses and Medical Sciences, content is at an equivalent level to Key stage 4 (e.g. GCSE) and Post-16 (e.g. A-level, IB) to ensure all students have an understanding of chemistry based language.

BIO1345 Structure and Reactivity if Organic Compounds 1:

• Introductory IR and NMR spectroscopy and Mass spectrometry.
• Introductory thermodynamics, kinetics and acidity & basicity.
• Reactions of alkenes and alkynes.

BIO1347 General Chemsitry:

• Solution chemistry.
• UV-visible absoprtion spectroscopy.
• Chemistry of the d-block elements.

BIO2085 Structure and Reactivity if Organic Compounds 2:

• Further IR and NMR spectroscopy and Mass spectrometry.

BIO2091 Bioinorganic Chemistry (module lead):

• Chemistry of the d-block elements.
• Biology of the trace metals: iron, copper and zinc.

BIO3041 Pharmacology and Medicinal Chemistry:

• The interaction between drug molecules and their macromolecular targets (nucleic acids, lipids, enzymes & receptors) including: antibacterial drugs, morphine and analogues, HIV inhibitors.

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. Exeter iGEM teams have designed and run the following projects:

• 2012    E-candi              Rapid biosynthesis of designer polysaccharides
• 2013    Paint by coli       Production of a biological full colour camera. 
• 2014    E.R.A.S.E          Biodegradation of TNT in soils to post-conflict recovery.
• 2015    Ribonostics        A user friendly, molecular test for bovine tuberculosis.
• 2016    Project:EXEpire Addressing biosafety issues in synthetic biology.
• 2017    Pili+                   Bioremediation of toxic metals leached from disused mines.
• 2018    Project               Perchlorate Biotransformation of toxic perchlorate to oxygen on Mars.
• 2019    PETEXE            Removal of microplastics released from washing machines.
• 2020    CalcifEXE          A biological method to produce concrete with reduced emissions.
• 2022    BionEXE            Fabrication of biological composite materials for artificial limbs.
• 2023    CathEXE           Harnessing  quorum sensing for biofilm prevention on catheters.

Modules

2023/24

• BIO1332 - Biochemistry
• BIO2091 - Bioinorganic Chemistry

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