Exploring and Exploiting Microbial Diversity

This is a well-established and internationally recognised group, led by Associate Professor Amanda Jones, who undertake work in the following four key activity areas of activity:

1) Biotechnology (*in collaboration with Applied Chemistry)

Microbial enzymes as biocatalysts (through our Nzomics Innovation Unit*)
Novel antimicrobials*
Microbial diagnostics*
Microbial induced calcite precipitation

2) Ecology

Molecular ecology and the microbiome in human health
Food chains and agriculture
Environmental microbiology and extreme environments

3) Pathogenicity

Control of parasitic arthropods
Virulence determinants in pathogenic streptococci & mycolic acid containing actinobacteria
Eukaryotic and prokaryotic virology

4) Systematics

Systematics and taxonomy of bacteria
Genomics, metabolomics and proteomics of prokaryotes
Bacterial cell envelope architecture and biosynthesis

The Exploring and Exploiting Microbial Diversity Research Group aims to contribute applied science approaches to underpinning aspects of healthcare and extending understanding of disease processes. We are funded by industry, charities, the European Union and research council grants.

We welcome interest from potential doctoral and post-doctoral researchers interested in working with us.

Facilities

Our research is supported by biochemistry, molecular biology and -omics laboratories with extensive capacity for microbial cell culture.

Key resources include:

High throughput DNA sequencing platforms, including PacBIO (see NU-OMICS)
Proteomics facilities
Bioinformatics infrastructure
Pilot scale fermentation suite
Analytical chemistry

Our Staff

Professor Gary Black

Enzyme discovery, characterisation, development and microbial production for biocatalysis
Microbial proteomics and metabolomics

Dr Simon Bridge

Viral infections and lipid metabolism
Host responses to viral pathogens
Viral triggers of autoimmunity
Microbial community profiles in the gut in health and disease

Dr William Cheung

Proteomics
Metabolomics

Dr Lynn Dover

Microbial responses to metal ion as nutrients and antimicrobials
Cell envelope biology of Rhodococcus (Prescottella) equi and other mycolic acid containing Actinobacteria

Dr Edward Fox

Ecology and selection of foodborne bacterial pathogens through food chains and the study of their behaviour in food
Genomics of foodborne pathogens to understand virulence mechanisms, stress tolerance and antimicrobial resistance phenotypes
Development of novel biocontrol strategies targeting key foodborne pathogens by exploiting food chain microbiomes

Dr Amanda Jones

Prokaryotic systematics, particularly of the Actionobacteria
Medical diagnostics, notably for non-tuberculous mycobacteria

Dr Clare Lanyon

Microbial Ecology of the Human Microbiome in Health and disease
Neonatal gut microbial community analysis related to sepsis.

Professor Alison McDermott

Host response to bacterial and fungal pathogens
Ocular surface infections and inflammation

Dr Jose Munoz

Structure and function of carbohydrate modifying enzymes including glycoside hydrolases, polysaccharide lyases and carbohydrate esterases
Human gut microbiotal metabolism of dietary carbohydrates; Contribution of microbiome to the human health; Modification of gut microbiota composition; Microbial and enzymatic metabolism of plant biomass

Dr Andrew Nelson

Understanding the role of the Microbiome in health and disease
Functional analysis of microbial communities

Professor David Pearce

Microbial ecology (functional diversity and adaptation)
Environmental microbiology
Life in extreme environments

Dr Darren Smith

Biology and Ecology of temperate and lytic bacteriophages in complex microbial communities
Using multiple -omics approaches to characterise the symbiotic relationship between bacteriophages, microbial community construction and role in pathogenicity and disease
Using bacteriophages to alter microbial communities through re-programming or selective eradication of bacterial subsets

Dr Vartul Sangal

Evolutionary dynamics and genetics of virulence characteristics in pathogenic bacteria
Applications of next-generation sequencing in prokaryotic systematics

Professor Iain Sutcliffe

Bacterial cell envelopes, notably membrane-anchored lipoglycans and lipoproteins
Microbial systematics; Chair, International Committee for Systematics of Prokaryotes (ICSP)

Dr St John Usher

Fermentation and flavour production in beers and lagers by Saccharomyces yeast strains
Enzymic reactions in the production of volatile flavour compounds during fermentation
Proteomic and metabolomic analysis of wort samples produced using various roasted malts

Dr Meng Zhang

Activation of urease in Bacillus subtilis
Optimization of microbial induced calcite processes in the built environment

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