Overview

My research focuses on the molecular biology of hyphal growth of the fungal pathogen, Candida albicans, and how this determines fungal responses to the surrounding physical environment.  Hyphae are the invasive form of the fungus so it is important to understand the signal and response mechanisms that enable these microscopic filaments to penetrate and damage host tissue.  To study this, we use genetic tools, microfabricated chambers and live-cell fluorescence microscopy so we can tune environmental factors and quantify cellular responses at the molecular and whole organism levels.  These studies also inform our understanding of how constitutively polarized cells are organized, which is an important feature of many eukaryotic cell types and systems.

Qualifications

2004   PhD Microbiology, University of Aberdeen

2000   BSc Biochemistry, University of Aberdeen

Career

2023 - 26   UKRI Talent Panel College member

2022 +       Royal Society Research Grants Panel for Biological Sciences

2021 - 22   Royal Society Fellowship Mentor

2020 +       Living Systems Institute Affiliate

2019 +       Associate Professor, MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter

2017 - 22   Wellcome Senior Research Fellow

2018 - 19   Institute of Medical Sciences, Researcher Development Lead, University of Aberdeen

2014 - 21   BBSRC Commitee E - panel member and David Phillips Fellows mentor

2016 - 21   Royal Society Newton International Fellowship - panel member

2016          Chair, Fungal Research Committe, British Mycological Society

2013          Elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology

2015 - 18   Co-Lead, Microbiology Research Programme, University of Aberdeen

2010          British Mycological Society Berkeley Award for Early-Career Scientists

2010 - 14   Medical Research Council New Investigator

2009 - 17   Royal Society University Research Fellow

2006 - 09   BBSRC Researcher Co-Investigator, with Prof Neil Gow

2003- 06    Post-doctoral Researcher, University of Aberdeen

Pre-1996   International career in commerce

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Research

Research interests

Systemic fungal infections kill more than 1 million people a year. Almost half of these deaths are caused by two fungi that produce invasive hyphal filaments.

These filaments penetrate deep within human tissue causing cell damage, inflammation and fatal levels of sepsis. A key virulence trait of these filaments is their ability to steer as they grow and respond to physical features they encounter in the environment.

Although fungi are relatively simple organisms, we do not yet understand how this information is sensed or how the direction of growth is altered. We have developed an imaging system that enables us to monitor hyphal growth and track the movement of intracellular fluorescent proteins at the same time. By deleting candidate genes, we can compare the mutant strains with normal cells to find out which proteins are important for hyphal steering.

Mutants that cannot steer normally are not able to penetrate human tissue so drugs that uncouple the steering mechanism in fungal cells might be effective at halting deep-seated tissue invasion by these fungal pathogens.

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External Engagement and Impact

Funding Panel Membership

BBSRC Committee E Member

Royal Society Newton International Fellowship Panel

Royal Society Research Grant Board: Biological Sciences

Recent invited presentations:

2019     ISFUS, Brazil

             FEMS Microbiology Congress, Speaker and Session Chair, Glasgow

             Systems Biology of Microbial Infection, Jena, Germany

             Departmental Seminar: Bundesanstalt fur Materialforscung und -prufung (BAM), Berlin

             Departmental Seminar: SynthSys, University of Edinburgh

             British Mycological Society Annual Conference

             Departmental Seminar, University of Bath

2018     Plenary - European Conference for Fungal Genetics 14, Haifa, Israel

            Candida & Candidiasis, Providence, Rhode Island, USA

            International Mycological Congress 11, Puerto Rico

            Departmental Seminar: Institute of Medicine & Engineering, University of Philadelphia

            Plenary - International Microscopy Conference 19, Sydney

            Departmental Seminar: University of New South Wales, Sydney

            Wellcome Researcher Seminar, Hinxton

2017     Dutch Society of Microbiology, Utrecht, Netherlands

             Departmental Seminar: University of Kent

             Human Fungal Pathogens 2017, France

2016     European Fungal Genetics 13, Paris

            Gordon Conference, Cell & Molecular Microbiology, Boston

            British Mycological Society, Exeter

Recent Public Engagement:

2018                 ‘Fungal Diseases’ at Explorathon, Aberdeen City Centre

2017                 ‘Fantastic Fungi’ Explorathon, Aberdeen City Centre

                         Schools visit to Dornoch Academy: ‘The Science of Fungi’ – March

                         International Women’s Day ‘Inspiring Journeys’ – After-dinner talk

2016                 Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition ‘Killer Fungus’.         

                        https://royalsociety.org/science-events-and-lectures/summer-science-exhibition/exhibits/killer-fungus/. 

2015                 Café Scientifique ‘Fungal Friends & Foes’ with Prof Neil Gow, Aberdeen

                          Institute of Medcial Sciences Open Doors Day ‘Myco-Medicines’

                         ‘I Wasn’t Always A Scientist’ - Royal Society website movie showcased the unusual                              career paths taken by some Royal Society scientists, as part of the RS diversity                                   theme. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2IRfzpPJ9E

                        Aberdeen University Flagship Team: Speaker at 'Challenges of Leadership Dinner –                             for MSPs, MPs, industrial leaders and academic leaders.

2014                ‘The Next Big Thing’: A Royal Society panel of 4 scientists on stage at the Hay of     Literature & the Arts.

                        https://www.hayfestival.com/p-8222-liz-tunbridge-alexandra-brand-lucie-green-and-ana-cavalcanti.aspx  Further information at: https://royalsociety.org/events/2014/05/the-next-big-thing/

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Teaching

Modules

2023/24

• BIOM534 - Medical Mycology

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Supervision / Group

Postdoctoral researchers

Postgraduate researchers

Research Technicians

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