Infectious Disease Research Group

Antimicrobial Research

There are several group members who are interested in the development of novel antimicrobials with a particular interest in biofilms including the use of natural products, an antimicrobial catalyst, nano metals and microencapsulated delivery systems for textiles with potential uses in the sports, healthcare and drug development arenas.

The activity and mode of action of disinfectant and sterilants and investigations of the possible link between biocide use and antibiotic resistance is also being assessed.

Molecular Microbiology

Understanding the molecular basis of the antibiotic resistant microbial pathogens: involving the characterisation of virulence genes at the molecular level, how they acquire resistance genes (pathogen’s horizontal gene transfer) and analysis of the mechanism by which these pathogenic microbes confer antimicrobial resistance is also being researched, this includes developing novel molecular methods; PCR based diagnostic methods for diagnosing the antibiotic resistant microbial pathogens at the early stage of their infectious diseases.

Research also focuses on understanding transcriptional regulation in important bacterial pathogens, specifically how they sense and respond to environmental stress.

Infection Control

The group has a number of interests within the area of infection control including; Healthcare Laundry: The assessment of both domestically and industrially laundered healthcare textiles in the context of infection control, including the evaluation of current regulations, processes and EU energy labelling.

The IDRG have five dedicated microbiology research labs including a molecular microbiology suite , with extensive equipment ranging from, spiral platers, anaerobic and class II cabinets, PCR and Real Time PCR. In addition the group has access to advanced analytical techniques including high resolution NMR spectroscopy, LC-MS/MS, ICP-MS, MALDI-TOF, FTIR and SEM.

The Infectious Disease Research group offer a number of Masters by Research and PhD opportunities, for a number of of postgraduate research projects conducted within the group.

Current Research Student Projects

• Development of Novel Synergistic Therapeutic Strategies to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance: Critical Roles for Natural Products.
• Novel Green Antimicrobial Textile Coatings for use in the Healthcare and Sports Arenas
• Survival of clostridium difficile on cloth and exploration of new interventions during healthcare laundering
• Shape-controlled synthesis of different nanoparticles metals
• Analysis of the Quorum sensing (QS) genes and evaluate the relationship between QS and virulence potential/antibiotic resistance in the pathogenic Gram negative organisms, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae
• Identification of the CTX-M family genes, encoding resistance to the third generation antibiotic, Cefotaxime, and analysis of the genetic markers for diagnosis of the antibiotic resistant Escherichia coli.
• Detection, prevalence and circulation of the emerging group of pathogens microsporidia in urban environments in the Midlands, UK
• Free living amoebas as human emerging pathogens: detection, prevalence and circulation in the Midlands, UK
• Design, Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Novel Drug Scaffolds Towards Antimicrobial Therapies.
• A Novel Electrochemical Approach to enhance drug antibacterial action
• Surface Modification Strategies for Antimicrobial Titanium Implant Materials with Enhanced Osseointegration

Completed Research Student Projects

• The use of nano-metals against biofilms in a biomedical context (PhD)
• Fibre choice for improved sustainability in regularly laundered healthcare textiles (PhD)
• The effect of black seed essential oil against Staphylococcus aureus (MRes)
• Development of a broad spectrum, sporicidal, cost saving disinfectant incorporating a novel antimicrobial catalyst (PhD)
• Disinfection using a novel heterogeneous catalyst (PhD)
• Applied Textile Chemistry (PhD)