1993 - PhD, "The Role of Murein Hydrolases in the Cell Division of E.coli." Molecular Biology Dept., University of Edinburgh.
1993-97 - Research Associate, Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford Research project: Prof. J Errington's research group. "Division site control in Bacillus subtilis."
1997-00 - Max Plank Research Fellow, MPI f. Entwicklungsbiologie, Tuebingen, Germany. Section of Prof. J. Holtje. "Subcellular localisation of cell division proteins in B.subtilis."
2000-06 - University of Dundee, Pathology & Neuroscience, Medical School, Lecturer.
2006- - University of Dundee, Clinical Dental Sciences, Dental School, Senior Lecturer.
Research
Research; Prokaryotic cell cycle and development of antimicrobial strategies. My background as molecular biologist has been involved in investigating cell wall synthesis during the growth of both Gram-negative and Gram-positive rod-shaped microorganisms. Key discoveries include the identification of the target for Bulgecin (1992), the identification & investigation of the topological specifier of cell division in B.subtilis (DivIVA) (1997-2006), and the use of a synthetic lethal screen to uncover the role of GpsB in relocation of the cell wall synthesis machinery during the cell cycle (2006-2010).
Current research topics in the laboratory include:
Modelling the cell cycle & infectivity of the Periodontal pathogen Fusobacterium nucleatum.
Investigating the role of a SNF-2 related DNA helicase proteins in the regulation of chromosome partition in a model microorganism (Collaborator; Prof. Tom Owen-Hughes, CLS, UoD).