Daniel Bennison shares his experience working on working at the Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas in Peru.
In October 2017, I began my MRC DiMeN DTP studentship working alongside Dr. Rebecca Corrigan and Dr. John Rafferty at the University of Sheffield. I work on the bacterium Staphlococcus aureus, which causes a variety of infections and is a significant cause of human disease, often going by its more recognisable name MRSA. My research looks at how these bacteria respond to stressful environments encountered during infection or teatment. More specifically, I aim to determine the mechanism by which ribosome-associated GTPases respond to an internal cellular signal called (p)ppGpp. The overarching motivation for this project includes the potential for ribosome assembly to be targeted by antimicrobial therapy.
In October 2017, I began my MRC DiMeN DTP studentship working alongside Dr. Rebecca Corrigan and Dr. John Rafferty at the University of Sheffield. I work on the bacterium Staphlococcus aureus, which causes a variety of infections and is a significant cause of human disease, often going by its more recognisable name MRSA. My research looks at how these bacteria respond to stressful environments encountered during infection or teatment. More specifically, I aim to determine the mechanism by which ribosome-associated GTPases respond to an internal cellular signal called (p)ppGpp. The overarching motivation for this project includes the potential for ribosome assembly to be targeted by antimicrobial therapy.
The central 'Main Square' in the heart of Lima.
I was fortunate enough to be awarded MRC Flexible Funding to visit the group of Pohl Milón at UPC in Lima Peru to support a four-week laboratory placement during September 2018. The overall aim of this placement was to learn to utilise their powerful and state of the art stopped-flow equipment to study enzyme kinetics, as well as the kinetics of complex formation (ie. Kon, Koff and Kd) between the GTPases in question and the ribosome itself, and expand my own appreciation of the subject of biochemical kinetics.
Following the initial week of training, I became independent while using the equipment and as such was able to tailor the experimental conditions to suit my own needs, generating a large amount of high quality data while still being able and encouraged to consult with the other members of this group for advice. In addition to learning this new technique, this placement allowed me to work alongside world leaders in this field, meet some friends for life and forge a fruitful collaboration between our labs that should last for many years. As a result of this, I have expanded the scope of my project hugely which will benefit the quality of my research but also my overall PhD experience.
Here I am standing by the state of the art 'stopped-flow' device used for my studies in Lima.
Aside from the science, this trip abroad to a country so different to ours really served to broaden my horizons and experience living and working in a completely different environment, a skill that is becoming increasingly necessary due to the collaborative nature of science. Needless to say, this trip not only met, but exceeded my academic and cultural expectations and all in all was a fantastic experience. Thanks again to the MRC and DiMeN DTP for this amazing opportunity.
Taking in Machu Picchu before enjoying a short break before my return to the UK.
