20072022

Research activity per year

Personal profile

Biography

Alex began her career studying Microbiology at the University of Leeds, including a year’s work experience placement at the Public Health Laboratory Service in Preston, and graduated in 2003. She took a PhD position at the University of Leicester to study transcriptional regulation in the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans, and after her PhD was awarded she remained at Leicester in a variety of postdoctoral research positions including working on phase variation in the infectious bacteria Campylobacter jejuni and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Alex joined the University of Northampton as a Lecturer in 2017, became a Senior Lecturer in 2019 and Deputy Head of Science (Life Sciences) in 2020.

Research Interests

Alex’s research focuses on how infectious bacteria respond to changes in their environment and how this affects their ability to grow and cause disease in humans. She is interested in the very different responses of Campylobacter jejuni during colonisation of the chicken gut and of Streptococcus pneumoniae in the human lungs and bloodstream. These organisms are leading causes of gastroenteritis and pneumonia respectively, contributing to extremely high levels of disease and mortality worldwide.

Supervision

Lewis Waterfield; Sports, Exercise and Life Science

Response of Streptococcus pneumoniae to metal and oxidative stresses.

 

Mett Smart; Sports, Exercise and Life Science

Bacterial Growth within Endoscope Channels between Reprocessing and Use: a scientific approach

Teaching Interests

Alex contributes to teaching on the following programmes, focusing on Microbiology, Epidemiology, Genetics and Molecular biology

  • BSc Biological Science
  • BSc Biomedical Science
  • BSc Biochemistry
  • BSc Health Science
  • BSc Human Bioscience
  • BSc Midwifery
  • BSc Pharmacology
  • MSc Molecular Medicine

Alex is module leader for the following modules:

  • SLS2010 Health and Disease
  • SLS2014 Techniques in Molecular Biology
  • SLS2026 Infection & Immunity
  • SLS3026 Medical Microbiology

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being

Education/Academic qualification

Bachelor, Microbiology, University of Leeds

PhD, Transcriptional regulation in the pathogenic fungus Candida albican, University of Leicester

External positions

Junior Editor, Access Microbiology, Microbiology Society

1 Oct 2018 → …

Honorary Visiting Fellow, University of Leicester

1 Jul 20171 Jul 2022

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