Hi, I am Ernesto and I am happy to share my experience as a PhD student at the University of Sheffield. I came to Sheffield almost four years ago from Mexico and now I am at my final year of the PhD.
I am doing my research in post-translational modifications in the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae to discern how it affects the metabolism and pathogenesis. I have the fortune to work in the Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease department which is located within the Royal Hallamshire Hospital. I would say that the advantage of being at this building is that you could be growing bacteria and at the same time having an incredible view of Sheffield.
I am doing my research in post-translational modifications in the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae to discern how it affects the metabolism and pathogenesis. I have the fortune to work in the Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease department which is located within the Royal Hallamshire Hospital. I would say that the advantage of being at this building is that you could be growing bacteria and at the same time having an incredible view of Sheffield.
| Since I moved from Mexico being separated from my family has impacted me in a positive way since I have grown as a person. My family is proud that I have the opportunity to work in a prestigious University and that they know that I am doing what I like, which of course is being at the lab and doing my science! A lot of experiments I have performed. However, some of the most significant achievements have been the identification of the N. gonorrhoeae acetylome. During the summer of 2019 I got a graph (Fig. 1), which might seem simple, but behind this is a work of almost 4 months growing 20 litres of bacterial |  Figure 1. Volcano plot that shows the increased acetylation sites of N. gonorrhoeae |
broth and staying until late every day at the laboratory to get these results. This graph shows that the enzyme behind the acetylation process could be a target for an antibiotic.
Me imaging N. gonorrhoeae within macrophages
One of my passions and guilty pleasures of being a scientist is imaging. This image (above), is the infection of macrophages with N. gonorrhoeae and it was the first time that I observed this process in real time. Showing that a mutant of the gonococcus is easier to phagocytose.
I hope that with these results my lab continue to study acetylation since it seems a good candidate for a therapy against gonorrhoea.
I hope that with these results my lab continue to study acetylation since it seems a good candidate for a therapy against gonorrhoea.
