MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR)

Facility Manager of CRUSH: Antiviral Drug Screening and Resistance Hub at the Centre for Virus Research (CVR) at the University of Glasgow. CVR CRUSH aims to become a fully integrated hub for SARS-CoV-2 and other high-consequence viruses drug screening and resistance assays including in pre-clinical animal models.

Facility Manager of the CVR CRUSH facility

Research Group of Prof Richard Elliott, Bunyavirus Research Group, Research Group of Prof Brian Willett, and Research Group of Dr Emilie Pondeville.
Post-doctoral project 1: A One Health approach to pan-valent morbillivirus vaccines. 
Post-doctoral project 2: Establishment of hantavirus reverse genetics.

- Optimised methods for propagation, titration, neutralisation assays, and drug screening assays for SARS-CoV-2.
- Optimised MinION, Oxford Nanopore sequencing of St. Abb’s Head bunyavirus from tick samples, and PPRV from livestock swab samples.
- Established protocols for RNA extractions from swab and blood samples from livestock and trained technical staff at the Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology, Arusha, Tanzania (6 weeks in early 2019).
- Optimised a method of screening animal sera for phleboviruses, like RVFV, BHAV and SFTSV using neutralisation assays in CL3 laboratory.
- Established methods for growing up ZIKV to high titres in mammalian cell culture.
- Established SOPs to study vertical transmission of ZIKV in Ae. aegypti mosquito model in CL3 laboratory.
- Generated Puumala hantavirus sequence data using NGS.
- Managed daily laboratory operation.
- Supervised and mentored students and junior members of the team.

Research Fellow

LifeArc

Formal training program to acquire the skills and knowledge to transition into careers in technology transfer.
Curriculum includes practical and theoretical aspects of technology transfer, like innovation assessment and valuation, market research, IP, innovation disclosures, agreements (MTA, CDA).
AUTM and ASTP memberships, and attendance at annual meetings. Access to a wide network of technology transfer professionals.

LifeArc AUTM Technology Transfer Fellow

University of St Andrews

Research Group of Prof Richard Elliott.
Post-doctoral project: Role of Bunyamwera virus NSs protein in mosquito cell lines. Establishment of hantavirus reverse genetics, a system of virus recovery from cloned cDNA.

Investigated expression of virus specific small RNAs by Northern blotting
Studied antiviral activity of RNAi response in mosquito cells. 
Established restriction free cloning methods to generate plasmids.
Optimised methods to grow up Puumala hantavirus to high titres in mammalian cell culture.
Supervised students and younger members of the team.

Institut Pasteur

Research Group of Prof Michèle Bouloy, and Dr Anna-Bella Failloux
Investigated bunyavirus infection in living Ae. aegypti mosquitoes in Biosafety Level 3 conditions.

Visiting Scientist

University of Glasgow

Investigated influence of Interferon and Multiferon on presence of HCV replicons in Huh7 cell lines.

Visiting Student


Currently working with SARS-CoV2 in cl3, optimising virus grow up, titration, neutralisation (serology), and drug screening methods.

Otherwise highly organised PhD level researcher with extensive expertise (10+ years) in virology, cell and molecular biology. Background in working to GxP standards with pathogens in containment levels 2 and 3 laboratories. Effective communicator with experience of writing scientific reports, training and mentoring, maintaining research lab operations, and problem solving and creativity.

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