Key aims and expertise
1. The key aims of our group are to:
(i) understand the requirements of different bacteria in their environment by analysis of genomes, transcriptomes and proteomes;
(ii) develop methods to control enteric disease by studying antigen delivery and potential immune avoidance by phase-variation; and
(iii) investigate alternative treatments of bacterial infection in the face of rapidly rising antibiotic resistance, including: (a) bacteriophage – viruses that infect bacteria and (b) Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus, a bacterium that preys upon Gram negative bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli.
Our research is carried out on a range of pathogens (including Clostridium, Campylobacter, Listeria, Streptococcus, Salmonella, Dichelobacter, Fusobacterium, Bdellovibrio, Vibrio and Mycobacteria), many of which infect livestock and have zoonotic potential.
Current projects
Some of our currently active projects are listed below with the name of a contact person for further information:
- Campylobacter phase variation and its impact on immunity and vaccine development (Dr Mike Jones)
- Inflammatory response to foot rot in sheep (Dr Sabine Tötemeyer)
- Immune modulation and carriage of Salmonella sp. in poultry
(Dr Mike Jones)
- Isolation and characterisation of bacteriophage which infect Vibrio cholera (Dr Robert Atterbury)
- Use of Bdellovibrio to control Salmonella colonisation of chickens
(Dr Robert Atterbury)
- Host responses to Mycobacterium avium infection (Dr Mike Jones)
- Genomic profiling of Streptococcus sp. (Professor Jamie Leigh)