Background
In 2023 I graduated from the University of Sheffield with a BSc Biomedical Science. It was during this undergraduate degree I developed an interest in immunology and pathobiology which led to me to undertake a MSc Antimicrobial Resistance to further my understanding of pathogens, the immune system and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). I specialised in physiology and pharmacology during my undergraduate degree, where I chose a library-based capstone project on the pathophysiology of gestational diabetes mellitus. I also completed a dissertation on the pathophysiological mechanisms of lithium induced nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. It was through these projects I learnt more about molecular biology and the immune system which led me to discover my passion for microbiology and inspired me to pursue a postgraduate degree in AMR. I wanted to gain further laboratory experience and to develop a better understanding of infectious diseases and the microbiome, with the potential to pursue a career in this field. The COVID-19 pandemic also made me reflect on the impact of infectious disease on a global scale, with a particular concentration on the development of vaccinations which is another area I would like to explore further through this degree. Following my completion of this course I hope to have gained valuable insight into AMR, the vaccination process, and novel therapeutics currently in development for infectious diseases. I then hope to pursue a career in this field, either in a laboratory setting or in the pharmaceutical industry with the goal of helping to spread awareness of AMR. ![]() Florey Reserach Project Determining Host-Pathogen Interaction in Cardiac Infection Using Zebrafish I became a member of the Elks lab (https://elkslab.weebly.com/lab-members.html) where I worked closely with Philip Elks, Emily Noel and Amy Lewis. My research looked at cardiac infection with Staphylococcus aureus in zebrafish. Cardiac infections cause high mortality especially with pathogens like S.aureus, thus better understanding their pathogenesis In vivo is vital especially with the imminent threat of antimicrobial resistance. More specifically I was looking into using zebrafish as a systemic infection model to better understand the host-pathogen interaction within the initial stages of an S.aureus infection. During this project I learnt several different lab techniques in order to perform microinjections of S. aureus into zebrafish embryos. For example, marbling zebrafish to collect their eggs ready for injecting. I had to pull and break my own microneedles so they were sharp enough to penetrate the zebrafish embryo and precisely inject into their circulation. I also had to make bacterial liquid cultures for injection using a laminar flow hood. To ensure I was injecting a controlled number of colony forming units per injection I produced Miles Misra plates to monitor bacterial colony concentration. Through this research experience I gained an invaluable insight into the inner workings of a laboratory and the importance of upholding safety regulations when using class 2 pathogens. I also gained a deep level of respect for research and plan to continue my career in the field of infectious diseases.
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The Team
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