Senior Lecturer in Infectious Diseases and Medical Education in the Institute of Inflammation and Repair, University of Manchester

• Infectious Diseases Speciality Lead for the MBChB Programme
• Training Lead for the MRes in Experimental Medicine – Respiratory Medicine (NIHR BRC)

Consultant for the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT). 

• Clinical Lead for the MFT Infectious Diseases service and the National Aspergillosis Centre.
• Consultant Medical Mycologist

I am an internationally recognised expert, senior researcher, educator and clinician in the field of fungal infectious diseases.  I have published over 120 peer-reviewed articles and books or book chapters in the field of medical microbiology, mucosal immunology, infectious diseases and oral medicine, and have an h-index of 34. 

I have special expertise in the management of a spectrum of mycoses including fungal sinusitis and infections in compromised patients, and I have a special interest in chronic mucosal candidosis and mucosal immunology. I also have expertise in antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention.

My research group undertakes basic research (genomics, pathogenesis and mechanisms of antimicrobial drug resistance and carcinogenicity of microbial acetaldehyde production), applied laboratory work (models of pathogenesis, molecular diagnostics, antifungal resistance testing, pharmacology of new antimicrobials), and clinical studies (antimicrobial resistance, tissue responses to chronic mucosal infection and acetaldehyde exposure). To date I has published a total of over 120 peer-reviewed articles and books or book chapters in the field of medical microbiology, mucosal immunology, infectious diseases and oral medicine.

My main research focus is on the pathogenesis of chronic mucosal infections. My main contributions to the field include pioneering work on carcinogenicity and mutagenicity of chronic Candidainfections (i), innovative work on the impact of candidal biofilm formation on antifungal resistance and cellular mechanisms responsible for this (with Scottish collaborators) (ii) and pioneering work on antifungal stewardship on intensive care unit resulting in significant (50%) reduction in both antifungal consumption and mortality to candidaemia (iii). I am also a PI for phase 3 clinical trial on a novel antifungal.

My aim is to advance our understanding of the interplay between the opportunistic bacterial and fungal pathogens and the host. My research group undertakes basic research (genomics, pathogenesis and mechanisms of antimicrobial drug resistance and carcinogenicity of microbial acetaldehyde production), applied laboratory work (models of pathogenesis, molecular diagnostics, antifungal resistance testing, pharmacology of new antimicrobials), and clinical studies (tissue response to chronic oral infection and acetaldehyde exposure) with main emphasis is on the pathogenesis of chronic mucosal infections.

I am a highly experienced, enthusiastic and innovative medical educationalist and have a long and broad track record in undergraduate and postgraduate education; Infectious Diseases curriculum development, and development of a spectrum of teaching materials ranging from traditional lectures and textbooks to iBooks, eLearning cases, PBL/TCD cases and simulated patient scenarios.

I am the Infectious Diseases Speciality Lead for the MBChB Programme and responsible for the development of the revised curriculum for ID including all teaching & learning materials and assessments. I am also the Training Lead for the MRes in Experimental Medicine – Respiratory Medicine (NIHR BRC). I was the founder and former Programme Director for the UoM MSc in Medical Mycology, which was my innovation from conception to delivery. I am also a former Deputy Lead for MMS Admissions

I am the speciality representative for the Royal College of Pathologists’ Medical Microbiology Speciality Advisory Committee and involved with (and responsible for my speciality) the College’s PG Medical Microbiology training curriculum development and assessments. I am also the Speciality representative for the NICE accredited UK Standards for Microbiology Investigations (UK SMIs) Steering Committee and Bacteriology Working Group. I am the Mycologist on the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) national guideline on the Management of Vulvovaginal Candidiasis working group. I am also the Mycologist on the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC) Grants Committee.

I am the UK representative for the European Confederation of Medical Mycology (ECMM) Excellence Centre Assessment Committee setting the standards and accrediting centres for the diagnostics and management of mycoses globally.  I am actively involved with the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) working groups and have been invited to co-author ESCMID guidelines on fungal infections (Candidaemia guideline, Rare yeasts guideline). I am also the Lead for the international ISHAM Fungal PCR Initiative (FPCRI) Pneumocystis Working Group. 

Memberships include:

Royal College of Pathologists, European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, International Society for Human and Animal Mycology, British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, American Society for Microbiology, Association of Clinical Oral Microbiology, British Society for Medical Mycology

 DDS, PhD, FRCPath, FECMM, PGCertMedEd