Background
I am a graduate from the University of Sheffield, having received a bachelor's degree in Medical Microbiology. During the final year of my undergraduate studies, I completed a research project looking at cell motility in Myxococcus xanthus. The aim of the project was to understand how the bacterium’s regulatory proteins initiate and coordinate cell movement. My studies also allowed me to explore and develop an interest towards disease and infection, highlighted by the challenges posed from pathogens. It was this curiosity that led me to undertake a masters degree in Antimicrobial Resistance at Sheffield. This was further emphasised from the opportunity to learn from both clinicians and scientists covering a diverse range of pathogens. My goal is to develop and refine my laboratory skills with the hope to take these into a future job, as well as increasing my knowledge of disease. Motivated by the prospect of helping within a global health challenge, I am keen to pursue a career as a clinical scientist, or similar, playing a role in contributing towards the healthcare setting. 
Florey Research Project
Understanding the evolution of Clostridioides difficile vancomycin resistance. Clostridioides difficile is the most common cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and is of increasing concern due to its lack of resistance testing carried out with regards to front-line treatments. Through rapidly evolved strains, a number of resistance associated mutations occur within the bacteria, including the presence of a vanT gene. Within Dr Robert Fagan’s lab, my research project looked to investigate the role that this gene plays in eliciting resistance of C. difficile to vancomycin, the most common antibiotic treatment. By using bacterial genetics, to introduce point mutations, a resistant strain can be altered back to wild-type and the resistance profile analysed to gain a better understanding towards clinical outcomes. Other microbiological techniques include the use MIC’s and MBC’s to profile the current resistance of wild-type and resistant strains to vancomycin, as well as visualising protein functions using Airyscan confocal microscopy. |
The Team
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