About
Born 1966. I am a gastrointestinal physiologist with expertise in endocrine and secretory cell physiology, mucosal glycobiology, immunology and infection. My scientific career started in gut endocrine physiology at UCNW Bangor, receiving a BSc with Honours in Zoology in 1988, and a PhD in Physiology from University of Liverpool in 1991. Following an MRC-funded post-doctoral research position investigating intestinal mucus biology, I held a Wellcome Trust-funded lecturer post in gut physiology, before being appointed to a full-time academic post in Medicine at Liverpool where my research led to specific understanding of the causes and consequences of altered intestinal mucosal glycosylation that occurs in intestinal inflammation and cancer. I now lead one of the key international research groups investigating bacteria-host epithelium interactions of Crohn’s disease- and colorectal cancer-mucosa associated Escherichia coli, including understanding of key inflammatory signal pathways, and translational projects studying effects of antibiotics, environment modulating agents and dietary components. My research is also focused on microbiome and mycobiome changes relevant to to infective diarrhoeal disease, inflammatory bowel disease and gastrointestinal cancers, including assessment of interventions such as probiotics, cannabinoids, environment modulating agents and dietary components. Model approaches include studies on epithelial and immune cell cell-lines, 3D aggregates, spheroids and organoid cultures, ex vivo tissue explants and in vivo models. From 2012 to 2022, I was the Scientists in Gastroenterology’ lead for the British Society of Gastroenterology supporting education, research and organising their annual meeting Translational Science Masterclass symposia. I was appointed to a Personal Chair within the University of Liverpool’s Faculty of Heath & Life Sciences in 2013 and I have been a member of the UK Gut Microbiota for Health Expert Panel (under the auspices of the British Society of Gastroenterology) from 2013 to present. I am also a current member of the European Science Foundation (ESF) college of expert reviewers and a member of the Research Awards Committee for the charity Guts UK .
Prizes or Honours
- UK State of the Art Lecture (British Infection Association, 2018)
- The Simms Lecture (The Royal College of Physicians, 2016)
- Oral Free Paper Prize (United European Gastroenterology Federation, 2011)
- Professional Development Named Award (Keele University/SEDA, 2010)
- Sir Alastair Pilkington Award (University of Liverpool, 2002)