Bacterial cell envelope plays crucial roles in bacterial physiology, morphogenesis, and interactions with phages or host cells. We are interested in the biosynthesis, structure, and function of bacterial cell surface molecules, particularly glycopolymers and membrane proteins, in nosocomial drug-resistant pathogens. We use a wide range of molecular and cellular microbiology approaches to study the functions of these surface molecules in antimicrobial resistance, biofilm formation, microbial pathogenesis, immune evasion and interactions with bacteriophage.  We believe this work will provide novel insight into the roles of bacterial surface molecules in host-microbe interactions and help develop novel diagnostics and therapeutics for drug-resistant bacterial infections.  

Guoqing studied Microbiology and received his PhD from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He subsequently undertook several postdoctoral positions investigating host-microbe interactions before being appointed group leader at the University of Tübingen. In 2013, he was appointed Senior Lecturer at the University of Manchester.

BSc, MSc, PhD, DrRerNat, FHEA

Certificate in Medical Education 

• British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC)

• International Society for Viruses of Microorganisms (ISVM)

• Society for General Microbiology (SGM)
• German Association for General and Applied Microbiology (VAAM)

• Editor - FEMS Microbiology Letters (2016-2018)

• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

1. Tackling antibiotic resistance in  hospital acquired infections.

     Antibiotic resistance has become a global crisis and  ESKAPE pathogens including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in particular pose a serious threat to our healthcare system. Our research focuses on  β-lactam resistance mechanisms  and new agents active against these priority pathogens .

References:

• Mikkelsen K, Sirisarn W, et al (2021 ). The novel membrane-associated auxiliary factors AuxA and AuxB modulate β-lactam resistance in MRSA by stabilizing lipoteichoic acids. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2021 Mar;57(3):106283.

• Gerlach D, Guo Y, et al (2018) Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus alters cell wall glycosylation to evade immunity. Nature. 563, 705-709. 

• Waters EM, Rudkin JK, et al  (2017) Redeploying β-lactam antibiotics as a novel anti-virulence strategy for the treatment of severe MRSA infections, J Infect Dis, 215, 80-87.

• Brown S, Xia G, et al (2012) Methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus requires glycosylated wall teichoic acids. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA,109: 18909-14

2. Biology and biomedical application of phage.

    Increasing antibiotic resistance has prompted a renewed interest in phage research. Our research focuses on S. aureus phages and aims to investigate phage-host interactions, such as phage adsorption, replication, and  bacterial  immunity to phage infections. We believe that this study will provide new insights and tools for the development of new diagnostics and therapeutics for drug-resistant bacterial infections.

References:

• Xia G, Corrigan RM, et al (2011).Wall teichoic acid-dependent adsorption of staphylococcal siphovirus and myovirus. J. Bacteriol.,193, 4006-09.

• Winstel V, Liang C, et al (2013) Wall teichoic acid structure governs horizontal gene transfer between major bacterial pathogens. Nat. Commun, 4: Article number 2345.

• Xia G, Wolz C.(2014) Phages of Staphylococcus aureus and their impact on host evolution. Infect. Genet. Evol. 21:593-601.

• Idelevich E, Walther T, et al (2014).Bacteriophage-based latex agglutination test for rapid identification of Staphylococcus aureus. J. Clin. Microbiol. 52(9), 3394-3398

• Li, X, Gerlach D, et al  (2015). An accessory wall teichoic acid glycosyltransferase protects Staphylococcus aureus from the lytic activity of Podoviridae. Sci Rep, 5, 17219.

• Koc C, Xia G,  et al. (2016). Structure of the host-recognition device of Staphylococcus aureus phage Φ11.  Sci Rep, 6, 27581.

• Li X, Koc C,  et al (2016). An essential role for the baseplate protein Gp45 in phage adsorption to Staphylococcus aureus. Sci Rep, 6, 26455.

• Whittard E, Redfern J, et al ( 2021 ) Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of novel polyvalent bacteriophages with potent in vitro activity against an international collection of genetically giverse Staphylococcus aureus. Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol., 11, 698909.

Current Teaching in FBMH

1. MSc in Medical Microbiology  

         MEDN68652 Vaccinations, Antimicrobials and Resistance 

         MEDN68680: Microbiology dissertation

     2. MBChB Program :

         Problem based learning 

         PEP Literature review  

    3. MSc programme in Infection Biology:

          BIOL66121 Research Project I

          BIOL66132 Research Project II              

    4. UGT teaching :

        BIOOL21090, BIOL30101 

        BIOL30030,  BIOL31220,

        BIOL40000 , BIOL33000

        BIOL40010    MSci Research Project 

  5. MAHSE/Doctoral Academy (2017-):

         HSST:  DrClinSci (Microbiology)

  6. SBS Examinations Officer ( 2022-)

Past Teaching

1. Programme Director for MSc in Medical Microbiology  ( 2013- 2015 )
2. Unit lead  and Lecturer :  ( 2013-2022)

           MEDN 68621: Understanding Infection ( 2013-2016 )

           MEDN 68680: Microbiology Dissertation (2013-2016)

           BIOL66121 Research Project I ( 2018-2022 )          

    3. Lecturer/ Teaching assistant: (2013-2022 )

           MEDN 68511: Principles of Microbiology    

           MEDN 68632: Molecular Diagnostics

           MEDN 68662:  Clinical Microbiology 1 

           MEDN 68672:  Clinical Microbiology 2

           MEDN 69910:  Research Methods

           MEDN 68642:  Global Health and Epidemiology

           BIOL 68921 :   Host-pathogen interactions in health and disease 

PhD Opportunities:

1. β-Lactam resistance in MRSA: mechanisms and solutions. 

2. Novel strategies and agents for ESKAPE infections

3. Biology and biomedical applications of phages.

Group Members:  

All rooms are located in stopford building and phone numbers start with 0161  27-

Lab address:

Room 1.223, Stopford building, 

University of Manchester 

Oxford Road 

Manchester, M13 9PT 

United Kingdom

Links: 

1. Bacteriology Research at the University of Manchester

2. The Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation

https://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/researchers-uncover-camouflage-strategy-of-multi-resistant-bacteria/