Research Interests
Open to PhD applications in the field of
- Molecular and sensor based diagnostics for infection with a focus on chronic respiratory diseases
- Role of the airway microbiome in health and disease
- Bacterial pathogenesis, antimicrobial resistance and assessment of novel antibiotics and delivery methods.
Current Research Opportunities
- PULSE-CF: Enhanced microbiological surveillance in people with Cystic Fibrosis (pwCF)
- Relationship between antibiotic therapy and development of antimicrobial resistance in patients with bronchiectasis and COPD
- Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing
- Development of Nanomaterials for Targeting the Bacteria–Host Interface in Cystic Fibrosis Airways
- Development and evaluation of a lung-on-a chip device for screening novel antimicrobials
Public outreach & key achievements
Research students
| PhD Title | Bacterial-host interactions in chronic respiratory infection |
| Name | Enna Gibson |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Year of Study | 1 |
| PhD Title | Machine Learning analysis of clinical databases in chronic respiratory diseases |
| Name | Andrew England |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Year of Study | 2 |
| PhD Title | Relationship between antibiotic treatment and clinical outcomes in people with bronchiectasis patients |
| Name | Aya Alkhatib |
| Country | Jordan |
| Year of Study | 2 |
| PhD Title | Inhaled liposomal antimicrobial theraphies for Nontuberculous mycobacteria |
| Name | Rand Zuhair |
| Country | Jordan |
| Year of Study | 2 |
| PhD Title | Relationship between Airway Microbiome Composition, Inflammation and Clinical Outcome in Patients with Bronchiectasis |
| Name | Zina Alfahl |
| Country | United Arab Emirates |
| Year of Study |
3 |
Alumni: Where are they now
| PhD Title | Characterisation of antibiotic resistance in Prevotella isolates from cystic fibrosis patients |
| Name | Dr Laura Sherrard |
| Year of Study | 2010-2013 |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Current Position | Lecturer, Â鶹´«Ã½ |
| PhD Title | Antimicrobial activity of fosfomycin and tobramycin in combination against cystic fibrosis pathogens under aerobic and anaerobic conditions |
| Name | Dr Gerard McCaughey |
| Year of Study | 2009-2012 |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Current Position | Medical Scientist, Gilead Sciences Inc. |
| PhD Title | Polymicrobial infection in Non-Cystic Fibrosis (CF) bronchiectasis: detection, characterisation and treatment |
| Name | Dr Wei Lan |
| Year of Study | 2008-2012 |
| Country | China |
| Current Position | Manager, Medical Affairs, Bristol Myers Squibb. |