Background
I am a dedicated Microbiologist with a clear focus on achieving goals, driven by a passion for advocating against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). My interest in AMR stems from my undergraduate degree project; focused on how seemingly harmless fomite such as hand railings harbors pathogenic bacteria, how effortlessly it can be transferred to persons and their antibiotic susceptibility pattern, my AMR Internship and my volunteering and work experience in both healthcare and pharmaceutical industry laboratories. I decided to pursue an MSc. AMR at The University of Sheffield to further understand the intricate mechanisms of resistance formation. My interest is fueled by the desire to make a meaningful impact on the well-being of individuals and communities through research and advocacy. My ongoing professional journey is built upon a solid foundation of research knowledge and extensive hands-on laboratory work in both the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry. I am inherently self-motivated, always seeking opportunities to expand my skill set and thrive in dynamic environments. My unwavering eagerness to learn serves not only my personal growth but also provides me with the opportunity to make an impact while contributing to the symbolic growth of an organization. I continually aspire with firm determination to develop both personally and professionally, firmly believing that self-improvement is a catalyst for achieving excellence. Florey MSc Research Project
The regulation and function of pili-based chemotaxis Many bacterial species, including the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, use microscopic appendages called type-IV pili (TFP) to move via “twitching” motility across surfaces. My research is conducted within the Microbial Physics Group at Sheffield University, who have recently found that twitching P. aeruginosa cells can navigate and bias their motility (‘chemotaxis’) towards nutrients and, counter-intuitively, towards harmful chemicals like antibiotics. A) State of the art microfluidic devices used to expose surface-attached P. aeruginosa cells to chemical gradients. B) Custom cell tracking software- (FAST) is used to simultaneously follow the movement of thousands of cells as they respond to the gradients over the course of a single experiment.
My goal is to further our understanding of the genetic regulation and function of twitching chemotaxis in P. aeruginosa, with a particular focus on investigating why cells have evolved to move towards antibiotics. To this end, I use a combination of high-resolution microscopy, microfluidic experiments and custom cell tracking to quantify the movement of surface-attached cells as they respond to precisely defined chemical gradients.
The findings have the potential to offer new insights for the development of targeted antibiotic therapies, potentially opening new avenues in the ongoing battle against antibiotic resistance. This research project thus aligns strongly with my long-term career goals of contributing to improved therapeutic strategies and demonstrates my commitment to impactful research in this field. |
The Team
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