Research and teaching staff

Academic staff

Dr Jonathan Thomas
Senior Lecturer in Microbial Genomics

Module leader for Microbial Diagnostics, and Professional Skills for Bioscientists. Co-lead for NTU's sequencing facility. Research interests include genomics, antimicrobial resistance and the evolution and molecular epidemiology of staphylococci, in particular Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis.

Dr Gareth McVicker
Senior Lecturer in Microbiology

Module leader for Introduction to Microbiology and Microbial Metabolism & Genetics. Research interests include mechanisms of plasmid stability in enteric pathogens, with a particular focus on toxin–antitoxin systems in enteroaggregative and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli in addition to other pathovars and species.

Dr Samantha McLean
Senior Lecturer in Microbiology

Module leader for undergraduate and postgraduate Molecular Microbiology modules. I am Microbiology Lead for the Medical Technologies Innovation Facility (MTIF). Research interests include investigating the efficacy and mechanisms of action of novel antimicrobials, and the development of antimicrobial medical devices and anti-biofilm materials.

Dr Ben Dickins
Senior Lecturer in Biochemistry

Module leader for Bioinformatics and co-lead for the Undergraduate Research Project Module. Co-lead for NTU’s sequencing facility. Research interests include genomics and phage experimental evolution as well as evolutionary theory and modelling of finite populations.

Dr David Negus
Senior Lecturer in Microbiology

Course leader for the MRes Biotechnology and MRes Molecular Microbiology courses. Module leader for Professional Skills in Microbiology. Research interests include developing the predatory bacterium Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus as a "living antibiotic", the use of bacteriophages and their products as antimicrobials, and bacterial capsule depolymerases.

Dr Jack C. Leo
Senior Lecturer in Microbiology

Course leader for the MSc Molecular Microbiology course. Module leader for Medical Microbiology. Research interests include bacterial pathogenesis as well as outer membrane proteins and their biogenesis, with a particular focus on autotransporter proteins of Gram-negative bacteria. Current research centres on the structure–function relationship in autotransporters from Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Yersinia enterocolitica.

Dr Jody Winter
Principal Lecturer in Microbiology

Subject leader for microbiology teaching at NTU, and course leader for the BSc and MBiol Microbiology courses. Module leader for Host–Pathogen Interactions, and Business & Enterprise. Research interests include Helicobacter pylori virulence, bacterial membrane vesicles, antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial stewardship.

Dr Michael Loughlin
Principal Lecturer in Microbiology

Learning & Teaching Manager, and Student Voice Lead for the School of Science and Technology. Module leader for M.S.I.D and continuing to teach at all levels. Research originally focused on links between disinfectant use and antibiotic resistance, now more on active learning, assessment design, and supporting a more inclusive and diverse environment for staff and students.

Professor Lesley Hoyles
Professor of Microbiome and Systems Biology

Module leader for Bioinformatics and Biomaths.  Research interests include the human gut microbiome in health and disease, systems biology, host–microbe interactions, microbial lipid metabolism, Coriobacteriia, and Klebsiella oxytoca and its bacteriophages.

Dr Conor Meehan
Associate Professor in Microbiology

​Microbial bioinformatics, genomics and evolution. Module leader for Advanced Bioinformatics. Focuses on the molecular epidemiology of microbial pathogens, especially Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

---

Dr Maria Rosa Domingo-Sananes
Senior Lecturer in Microbiology

​Teaching for Introduction to Microbiology, Advanced Bioinformatics, and module leader for Forensic Microbiology. Research focuses on combining systems and evolutionary biology to understand the function, architecture and evolution of biochemical networks and genomes. Approaches include computational analysis, mathematical modelling and experimental evolution. Current interests include the evolution of cell cycle control in eukaryotes and of antimicrobial resistance and gene content diversity in microbes (prokaryotes and eukaryotes).

---

Dr Alasdair Hubbard
Senior Lecturer in Microbiology

​Main interest is the use of genomics and experimental evolution to understand the development of antimicrobial resistance in clinically relevant bacteria, with a focus on translation from the laboratory to clinical practice. Other research interests include novel mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance and early-stage drug discovery. Module leader for Infectious Diseases and their Control.

---

Dr Bunmi Omorotionmwan
Lecturer in Microbiology
​
​Involved in the teaching of Applied Microbiology (module leader), Introduction to Microbiology and Business and Enterprise modules. My research background is genetic engineering of Clostridium for industrial and clinical applications such as improved biofuel production and the development of a spore vaccine platform. My pedagogical research interests explore how new teaching innovations and inclusive assessment can be used to narrow attainment gaps among student groups.

---

Dr Leanne Timpson
Lecturer in Microbiology

​Module Leader for Foundation Biology. Involved in teaching on Applied Microbiology, and Business and Enterprise modules. Leader for the MSc Biotechnology course. I have academic and industrial experience, focusing on the biocatalytic applications of novel enzymes from extremophilic micro-organisms. My current scholarly activities are centred around student work-like experience and enhancing student employability skills. I am also interested in exploring links between microbiology and creative disciplines.

---

Dr Sarah Kuehne
Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences (Microbiology)
Research Lead for the AROM theme. Module lead for Clinical Public Health Microbiology, and Scientific Analysis (elearn, MSc flexi). Research interests include the oral microbiome in health and disease, in particular the pathogenesis of Fusobacterium nucleatum and other anaerobes, multispecies biofilms, bacterial communication, novel antimicrobials and antimicrobial materials, as well as host-microbe interactions.

Postdoctoral researchers and research assistants

Dr Anne McCartney (funded by EU Horizon 2020)

Technical support

Macsen Fryer

Students

PhD students
Callum Rimmer (part-time Academic Associate, funded by Nottingham Trent University)
Sagar Batra
Onnicha Leelastwattanagul
Mohamed Eladawy (PhD funded by The Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research)
Taiwo Adesola Akinyele
Omoyemi Rebecca Ojo
Dooshima Ngulianga Nevkaa​
Caitlin Wildsmith (BBSRC DTP)
Rachael Duodu
Sidra Kashif
Sourav Kumar Das
Chantelle Endeley (BBSRC DTP)
Farah Mahmood (BBSRC DTP)
Milli Wilde (BBSRC DTP)
Hawa Ahmed
Aureliana Chilengue (PhD funded by a Schlumberger Foundation, Faculty for the Future Fellowship)
Thomas Dawson (BBSRC DTP)
Durva Raut
Lottie Oxley
Mia Horton
Janelle Mwerinde
Hannah Partington
Beth Gill

Placement students and visiting researchers
Het Gajjar (placement student funded by NTU)
Pallavi Arya (visiting Clinical Research Fellow, Imperial College London)
Harry Dean (visiting Clinical Research Fellow, Imperial College London)

MBiol students
​Cecilia Dimaunahan
Jessica Davies-Webster
Kate Cox

MRes students
Devarsh Dave
Tia Lamb
Shaz Rebelo Ebrahim

Former group members

Lacksita John (MRes 2023-2024)
Elena Palacios Amaral (MRes 2023-2024)
Yashwani Malik (MRes 2023-2024)
Dr James Hall (PhD 2020-2024)
Dr Daniel Whiley (funded by the Academy of Medical Sciences 2023-2024)
Beth James (research assistant; funded by The Urology Foundation 2023-2024)
Hala Ali (visiting postdoctoral researcher funded by a Daniel Turnberg Travel Fellowship – 2024)
​Martyna Cyganek (MRes 2023-2024)
Manvir Singh (MBiol 2023-2024)
Ashley Edwards (MBiol 2023-2024)
Maxwell Jackson (MBiol 2023-2024)
Dr Samuel Dawson (PhD 2019-2023; research assistant 2023-2024)
Benjamin Murray (2023; visiting PhD student)
Dr Mahboobeh Behruznia (funded by the Academy of Medical Sciences 2022-2023)
Fisentzos Floras (MRes 2022-2023)
Pooja Bisht (MRes 2022-2023)
Dominic Lambert (MRes 2022-2023)
Mia Horton (MRes 2022-2023)
Gayathri Weerasekarage (MRes 2022-2023)
Jordan Shutt-McCabe (placement student 2022-2023)
​Dr Adam Varney (PhD 2019-2023)
Zak Vincent (MBiol 2022-2023)
Daniel Peters (MBiol 2022-2023)
Beth James (MBiol 2022-2023)
Nathan Heslop (MBiol 2022-2023)
​Milly Newton (MBiol 2022-2023)
Dr Fiona Newberry (2021-2023; Diabetes UK)
Dr Rachel Whelan (PhD 2018-2022; NTU Health and Wellbeing 2022-2023)
Dr Blessing Oyedemi (2021-2023; African Research Excellence Fund Research Development Fellow)
Dr Stephen Thompson (PhD 2015-2021)
Dr Eden Mannix-Fisher (PhD 2017-2021; NTU Health and Wellbeing Talent Fellow 2021-2022)
Lizzy Roberts (MRes 2021-2022)
Callum Lush (MRes 2021-2022)
Radha Thirunellai Seshadri (MRes 2021-2022)
Jasmin Lawrance (MRes 2021-2022)
Sahar Rasheed (MRes 2021-2022)
Nathan Heslop (placement student 2021-2022)
Roshan Khatri (placement student 2021-2022)
Amy Mensah (MBiol 2021-2022)
Chantell Maware (MBiol 2021-2022)
Victoria Wootton (MBiol 2021-2022)
Vineet Ponnala (MRes 2020-2021)
Karimunnisa Begum Shaik (MRes 2020-2021)
Thomas Smith-Zaitlik (MRes 2020-2021)
Sara Garnett (MRes 2020-2021)
Shohreh Naderisigoli (MRes 2020-2021)
Sree Thota (MRes 2020-2021)
Dr Lolwah Alsharaf (PhD 2017-2021)
Luke Hamstead (MBiol 2020-2021)
Chandrashekar Kurunakaran Achari (MRes 2019-2020)
Anagha Shamsundar Setlur (MRes 2019-2020)
Dean Hill (MBiol 2019-2020)
Simon Barratt (MBiol 2019-2020)
Daniel Russell (MBiol 2019-2020)
Frazer McCuaig (placement student 2019-2020)
Anubrata Ghosh (MRes 2019-2020)