Research

Fungal AMR

Serious fungal infections are a major threat to human health, often leading to severe and life-threatening disease. With no approved vaccines, antifungal drugs are our primary treatment option. However, resistance to all classes of antifungals is emerging across the globe. This is particularly concerning for Aspergillus fumigatus which is responsible for more deaths than any other fungal pathogen. I investigate how A. fumigatus evolves resistance; what are the selective drivers, how genotype influences evolution and how environmental conditions alter evolutionary trajectories.

Antifungal Use

The extensive use of fungicides in the environment is considered to be a major driving force in the emergence and spread of resistance in A. fumigatus. A key aim of my research is to understand the risk that fungicide use imposes on the evolution of resistance to novel clinical antifungals. As a result of our work we have drafted policy documents, responded to US-EPA dockets and contributed to discussions in the House of Lords.

Microbial Communities

The effect of ecological context, i.e., the type and dynamics of microbial interactions that occur between pathogens and the surrounding community, is often overlooked when considering antibiotic efficacy and the evolution of resistance. I work to understand how interactions between members of microbial communities alter the efficacy of antibiotics and antifungals.

Horizontal Gene Transfer

Many microbes, including fungi and bacteria, can acquire genetic material from sources other than their parent, through a process called horizontal gene transfer. This allows microbes to acquire ecologically important traits such as antimicrobial resistance bypassing the requirement of rare resistance mutations.

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