Translating fundamental research into novel therapeutics
The Section of Molecular Microbiology is located in the Flowers Building on the South Kensington campus of 51³Ô¹ÏÍø. The section has three major research themes centred around bacterial pathogenicity. Particular interests include the mechanisms underlying bacterial virulence, innate immunity and bacterial recalcitrance towards antibiotics.
Molecular Microbiology is part of the Centre for Bacterial Resistance Biology (CBRB), a joint initiative with the Faculty of Natural Sciences. The overall goals of the CBRB are to understand the biology of bacterial infections and to translate this information into novel strategies for preventing and treating microbial disease. The Section of Molecular Microbiology also plays a leading role in the Centre for Integrative Systems Biology and Bioinformatics (CISBIO) and Centre for Infection Prevention and Management.
The section employs over 40 members of staff and includes over 20 research students. The Principal Investigators are currently supported by grants totalling over £20 million and contribute to teaching on 15 courses, organising modules on five of these courses. The section runs the Bacterial Pathogenesis and Infection Stream of the MRes in Biomedical Research.
Research groups and section leadership
Research interests and areas
A selection of the Section's key research areas:
- Cell wall assembly in gram-positive bacterial pathogens
- Gene regulation and acquisition of bacteria by bacteriophages
- Mechanisms underpinning bacterial adaptive responses to stress
- Innate immune responses to commensal and pathogenic bacteria and role of the microbiota
- Meningococcal genomics/type IV pilus biology
- Salmonella pathogenesis and persistence
- Staphylococcal persistence in host tissues
- Systems microbiology and the biology of tuberculosis
Section leadership
Dr Andrew Edwards
Section Head, Molecular Microbiology
Dr Edwards' research focuses on understanding how antibiotics kill bacteria, how this is affected by the host environment, and the development of novel therapeutic approaches to overcome antibiotic resistance and tolerance.
Research group leads
Professor Darius Armstrong-James
Emeritus Professor Herbert Arst
Dr Thomas Clarke
Dr Andrew Edwards
Professor Angelika Gründling
Professor David Holden
Dr Alex McCarthy
Professor José Penadés
Professor Brian Robertson
Dr Avinash Shenoy
Dr Charlotte-Eve Short
Dr Aran Singanayagam
Dr Teresa Thurston
Professor Sivaramesh Wigneshweraraj
Dr Xiujun Yu
General enquiries
Section Manager
Sophie Dunhill
+44 (0)20 7594 3199
Team Administrator
Anna Lee
+44 (0)20 7594 2954
Laboratory Manager
Shajna Begum
+44 (0)20 7594 3070