Dr Katie Laird

Job: Reader in Microbiology, Head of the Infectious Disease Research Group and Faculty Deputy Head of Research Students

Faculty: Health and Life Sciences

School/department: Leicester School of Pharmacy

Address: De Montfort University, The Gateway, Leicester, LE1 9BH.

T: +44 (0)116 207 8106

E: klaird@dmu.ac.uk

W: http://www.dmu.ac.uk/hls

Social Media: twitter.com/katielaird

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Personal profile

Dr Katie Laird is a Reader in Microbiology in the School of Pharmacy and head of the Infectious Disease Research Group at De Montfort University. She has a BSc (Hons) in Biology and obtained a PhD in applied microbiology in 2008.

During her PhD she developed and patented an essential oil based antimicrobial vapour, whilst her postdoctoral work included the assessment of natural antimicrobials efficacy against post-harvest pathogens.

Her research is centred on the prevention of transmission of Healthcare Acquired Infections (HAIs) particularly the use of novel antimicrobials. Current research projects include C. difficile transmission on healthcare laundry, reducing the attachment of micro-organisms to textiles in the healthcare arena, the use of metal nanoparticles against biofilms and the development of natural products for the use in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry. Other projects inculde the assessment of the lay publics understanding of antibiotic resistance. Katie is the author of "A Germ's Journey" Educational Resources teaching young children about health hygiene having an impact globally.

Research group affiliations

Infectious Disease Research Group

Publications and outputs

Dual-Function Antimicrobial Laundry Supplement and Textile Coating for the Decontamination of Healthcare Laundry
Dual-Function Antimicrobial Laundry Supplement and Textile Coating for the Decontamination of Healthcare Laundry Owen, Lucy; Laird, Katie Background: In the UK nurses’ uniforms are domestically laundered, posing a threat of cross contamination of healthcare-associated infections. The UK Department of Health recommends washing uniforms at 60ºC, however nurses most commonly wash them at 40ºC. Bacteria survive on textiles washed at low temperatures; 4.28-4.62 log10 Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus survived washing at 40ºC and cross contaminated other textiles in the wash. Antimicrobial laundry supplements could sanitise textiles and limit cross-contamination. A supplement that deposits an antibacterial coating onto textiles could also reduce contamination between washes. This study aimed to investigate a silver-based antimicrobial textile coating product (Micro-Fresh 1911) as a dual-use antimicrobial laundry supplement and textile coating. Materials/methods: Polycotton inoculated with 108 CFU/mL E. coli or S. aureus (type and clinical isolates) were washed with 2% Micro-Fresh 1911 in a domestic washing machine (40°C) and surviving microorganisms enumerated. Washes were conducted with and without soiling and biological detergent. Control washes were water alone. The antimicrobial activity of polycotton washed with Micro-Fresh 1911 at 40°C was assessed against S. aureus and E. coli using ISO 20645 and ISO 20743 methods. Controls were polycotton washed in water and textile padded with Micro-Fresh 2611. Results: Washing with Micro-Fresh 1911 reduced E. coli and S. aureus by 7.14-8.08 log10. No cells were recovered from sterile textile, whereas washing with water alone reduced E. coli and S. aureus by 2.21-4.25 log10 and resulted in 3.13-4.01 log10 CFU cross-contamination. Combining Micro-Fresh 1911 with biological detergent reduced E. coli and S. aureus by 5.56-6.65 log10. Fabric washed with Micro-Fresh 1911 was antimicrobial against E. coli and S. aureus type and clinical isolates according to ISO 20645 and ISO 20743. The antimicrobial coating remained after washing the fabric in water once at 40°C and 73°C. Conclusions: Micro-Fresh 1911 exibits antimicrobial activity in a 40ºC domestic wash and deposits an antimicrobial layer onto polycotton. Micro-Fresh could be employed as an antimicrobial laundering product to reduce microbial contamination of healthcare laundry washed at low temperatures.
From formulation to in vivo model: A comprehensive study of a synergistic relationship between vancomycin, carvacrol and cuminaldehyde against Enterococcus faecium
From formulation to in vivo model: A comprehensive study of a synergistic relationship between vancomycin, carvacrol and cuminaldehyde against Enterococcus faecium Owen, Lucy; Webb, Joseph P.; Green, Jeffrey; Smith, Laura J.; Laird, Katie Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE) has become endemic in healthcare settings, reducing treatment options for enterococcal infections. New antimicrobials for VRE infections are a high priority, but the development of novel antibiotics is time-consuming and expensive. Essential Oils (EOs) synergistically enhance the activity of some existing antibiotics, suggesting that EO-antibiotic combinations could re-sensitise resistant bacteria and maintain the antibiotic repertoire. The mechanism of re-sensitisation of bacteria to antibiotics by EOs is relatively understudied. Here, the synergistic interactions between carvacrol (1.98 mM) and cuminaldehyde (4.20 mM) were shown to re-establish susceptibility to vancomycin (0.031 mg/L) in VRE, resulting in bactericidal activity (4.73 log10 CFU/mL reduction). Gene expression profiling, coupled with β-galactosidase leakage and salt tolerance assays suggested that cell envelope damage contributes to the synergistic bactericidal effect against VRE. The EO-vancomycin combination was also shown to kill clinical isolates of VRE (2.33-5.25 log10 CFU/mL reduction) and stable resistance did not appear to develop even after multiple passages. The in vivo efficacy of the EO-vancomycin combination was tested in a Galleria mellonella larvae assay; however no antimicrobial action was observed, indicating that further drug development is required for the EO-vancomycin combination to be clinically useful for treatment of VRE infections. The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version
Microencapsulation of natural essential oils to develop sustainable textiles for antimicrobial and mosquito repellent functionality
Microencapsulation of natural essential oils to develop sustainable textiles for antimicrobial and mosquito repellent functionality Laird, Katie; Shen, Jinsong; Soroh, Anita; Grancaric, Ana; Rahim, Noor
Current Healthcare Market-Related Research Review: Research to Develop a New Standardised Test Method to Determine the Antimicrobial Efficacy of Laundry Processes
Current Healthcare Market-Related Research Review: Research to Develop a New Standardised Test Method to Determine the Antimicrobial Efficacy of Laundry Processes Laird, Katie
Children and handwashing: Developing a resource to promote health and well-being in low and middle income countries
Children and handwashing: Developing a resource to promote health and well-being in low and middle income countries Crosby, Sapphire; Laird, Katie; Younie, Sarah Objective: Using a participatory action research (PAR) model, this paper reports on findings from a mixed-methods study which aimed to discover whether specifically developed health education resources (A Germ’s Journey) aid children’s understanding of health-hygiene principles, and how these findings can inform the future development of culturally relevant resources to teach children in low- and middle-income countries about the association between bacteria, handwashing and disease. Design: Educational health-hygiene workshops were conducted at 13 case study sites (n = 651) in collaboration with local organisations in Ahmedabad, India. During Phase 1 of the study, children’s and teacher–trainer workshops were conducted using UK resources. Following suggestions from local teachers, a Gujarati book was co-created and in Phase 2, workshops (using the Gujarati book) were delivered. Methods: Data were collected from children using quasi-experimental methods, using pre-workshop questions, follow-up questions, observations and baseline and post-workshop assessments. Data were collected from teachers using questionnaires. Results: Following teacher–trainer workshops during Phase 1 of the study, 100% of teachers stated that they would use the resources with their pupils in the future. Two months after participating in the workshops, 60%–73% of children knew how germs can cause illness, and 76%–80% knew how to remove germs from hands. When assessed during Phase 2 of the study, 54% of children scored higher after the intervention, showing an increased understanding of microbiology after using the resources. Conclusion: The results indicate that children had an improved understanding of the causes of bacterial disease and the health implications of not using adequate health-hygiene practices. Recommendations for the future development of resources include adopting a PAR model of research, co-creation with end users and working alongside local organisations and participants in order to access ‘hard-to-reach’ areas. The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.
Creating Resources with Children in India using a co-creation model for Developing Countries to address UN SDG goals
Creating Resources with Children in India using a co-creation model for Developing Countries to address UN SDG goals Crosby, Sapphire; Laird, Katie; Younie, Sarah Following a Participatory Action Research (PAR) model, this study evaluates whether specifically developed resources (‘A Germ’s Journey’) aid children in India’s understanding of hand-hygiene principles. Furthermore, it discusses how the findings can inform the future development of culturally relevant resources for developing countries. Educational health-hygiene workshops were conducted with schools and community centres in collaboration with organisations in Ahmedabad, India in areas of considerable socio-economic disadvantage. Children’s and teacher-trainer workshops were delivered to ten Case Studies. Mixed-method data was collected from children using quasi-experimental methods, using pre-workshop questions, follow-up questions, observations and baseline and post-workshop assessments. Data was collected from teachers using questionnaires. Following teacher-trainer workshops during Phase 1 of the study, 100% of teachers stated that they would use the resources with their pupils in the future. Two months after participating in the workshops, 60-73% of children knew how germs can cause illness, and 76-80% knew how to remove germs from hands. When assessed during Phase 2 of the study, 55% of children scored higher after the intervention, showing an increased understanding of microbiology after using the resources. The results indicate that children have an improved understanding of the cause of bacterial disease and the health implications of not using adequate health-hygiene practices. Recommendations for the future development of resources include adopting a PAR model of research, co-creation with end users and working alongside local organisations and participants in order to access the ‘hard-to-reach’ areas.
GERMS JOURNEY: co-creation of resources for addressing UN Sustainable Development Goals in education & health in developing countries
GERMS JOURNEY: co-creation of resources for addressing UN Sustainable Development Goals in education & health in developing countries Crosby, Sapphire; Laird, Katie; Younie, Sarah Following a Participatory Action Research (PAR) model, this study evaluates whether specifically developed resources (‘A Germ’s Journey’) aid children in India’s understanding of hand-hygiene principles. Furthermore, it discusses how the findings can inform the future development of culturally relevant resources for developing countries. Educational health-hygiene workshops were conducted with schools and community centres in collaboration with organisations in Ahmedabad, India in areas of considerable socio-economic disadvantage. Children’s and teacher-trainer workshops were delivered to ten Case Studies. Mixed-method data was collected from children using quasi-experimental methods, using pre-workshop questions, follow-up questions, observations and baseline and post-workshop assessments. Data was collected from teachers using questionnaires. Following teacher-trainer workshops during Phase 1 of the study, 100% of teachers stated that they would use the resources with their pupils in the future. Two months after participating in the workshops, 60-73% of children knew how germs can cause illness, and 76-80% knew how to remove germs from hands. When assessed during Phase 2 of the study, 55% of children scored higher after the intervention, showing an increased understanding of microbiology after using the resources. The results indicate that children have an improved understanding of the cause of bacterial disease and the health implications of not using adequate health-hygiene practices. Recommendations for the future development of resources include adopting a PAR model of research, co-creation with end users and working alongside local organisations and participants in order to access the ‘hard-to-reach’ areas.
Interactive health-hygiene education for early years: the creation and evaluation of learning resources to improve understanding of handwashing practice.
Interactive health-hygiene education for early years: the creation and evaluation of learning resources to improve understanding of handwashing practice. Crosby, Sapphire; Laird, Katie; Younie, Sarah This study reports the findings of a mixed method research study (qualitative and quantitative) on the effectiveness of specifically developed learning resources and workshops on handwashing for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in the UK. The A Germ’s Journey educational resources were developed to aid both young children’s understanding and engagement with microbiology and hand-hygiene, currently there are limited learning resources that teach young children about the cause and effect of germs. The methods used to evaluate the resources in this study include: questionnaires (completed by parents and teachers), observations of the children during the workshops using the resources, and follow-up interviews with teachers. The data was collected in six individual case studies (three in inner-city locations and three in rural locations) consisting of EYFS classes in primary schools and nurseries. Results found that the developed learning resources were successful in aiding children in EYFS’s knowledge of germs and related health issues (80-100% (p < 0.05) of parents and teachers strongly agreeing/agreeing), with teachers reporting that they had seen an increased understanding in their pupils since participating in the workshops The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version
Synergistic Combinations of Antibiotics with Cumin, Oregano and Rosewood Oils as a Strategy to Preserve the Antibiotic Repertoire.
Synergistic Combinations of Antibiotics with Cumin, Oregano and Rosewood Oils as a Strategy to Preserve the Antibiotic Repertoire. Owen, Lucy; Laird, Katie Background: Formulations employing synergistic combinations of antibiotics with Essential Oils (EOs) could help to preserve the antibiotic repertoire by improving their activity against resistant bacteria. Objective: This study was aimed to screen the antibiotics oxacillin and ciprofloxacin for synergistic interactions with cumin, oregano and rosewood EOs and the EO components cuminaldehyde, carvacrol and linalool against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus (antibiotic sensitive and resistant isolates). This will provide information on formulations with synergistic combinations of EOs and antibiotics that might resensitise antibiotic resistant bacteria. Method: Antimicrobial interactions between double and triple combinations of EOs, EO components and antibiotics were determined using the checkerboard method with calculation of Fractional Inhibitory Concentration Indexes (FICIs). The most active triple combinations were then assessed by a time-kill assay. Results: Two synergistic EO-antibiotic combinations and eight additive EO-antibiotic combinations reduced the antibiotic minimum inhibitory concentration below clinical sensitivity breakpoints according to the checkerboard method. However, all tested combinations were additive according to the time-kill assay; while the combinations completely killed S. aureus, E. coli and P. aeruginosa cells in 2 h, at least one EO compound from the combination alone completely killed the cells of test species. Conclusion: Positive interactions support the use of EOs or EO components to enhance antibiotic efficacy against antibiotic resistant bacteria. The EO-antibiotic combinations tested by the time kill assay were indifferent; therefore, the observed antimicrobial activity did not arise from synergistic mechanisms as indicated by the checkerboard method. Investigation of other synergistic combinations identified by the checkerboard method could reveal more promising candidates. The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.
Germ's Journey Mini Brum Exhibition
Germ's Journey Mini Brum Exhibition Crosby, Sapphire; Younie, Sarah; Laird, Katie

Click here for a full listing of Katie Laird's publications and outputs.

Research interests/expertise

Hospital Acquired Infections
Enterococcus spp.
C. difficile
Healthcare Laundry
Biofilms
Novel antimicrobials (nano-metals and natural products)

There are two main areas of research currently being conducted, one of which is the assessment of novel antimicrobials such as essential oils and nano-metals against HAIs both in vegetative and biofilm form for use in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry.

Secondly, healthcare textiles are being assessed for their potential as cross contamination routes for C. diffilice and other HAIs. The effectiveness of the NHS laundering policy at removing microbial loads on bed linen from the hospital ward through to the national contractors for NHS laundering and on-site laundering in care homes is being determined; as well as studies on the attachment of micro-organisms to textile fibres. In addition, novel antimicrobial ingredients for washing detergents and textile coatings are also being explored.

Katie has also developed a book and website (www.agermsjourney.com) for pre-school aged children to learn about health and hygiene "A Germ's Journey - Dirty Hands, Clean Hands"

Areas of teaching

Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Science (BSc): Basic Microbiology & Biopharmaceuticals
Pharmacy (MPharm): Pharmaceutical microbiology, asepsis, inflammation, infection, the skin and the pulmonary system
Dissertation projects
MSc Students
PhD Students.

Honours and awards

DMU Future Research Leaders Fellow (2015)
Outstanding Poster Award the American Society of Microbiology (2015)
Medici Fellow – Birmingham University (2014)
HACCP Level 4 (2011)
DMU Media Fellowship (2010).
Chartered Biologist (2010), Society of Biology
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2009)
House of Commons award (2008) for research excellence in Hospital Acquired Infections by Alan Johnson (Health Secretary).

Membership of external committees

Main Committee Member for the Society for Applied Microbiology July 2010 – July 2013.
Meetings sub-committe member for the Society of Applied Microbiology July 2010 - 2015.

Membership of professional associations and societies

Society for Applied Microbiology – main committee member (2005-2008)
American Society of Microbiology (2006)
Society of General Microbiology (2006)
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2008)
British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (2007)
Society of Biology (2009).

Projects

Partnerships in Knowledge Transfer (PiKT), European Regional Development Fund, Essential oil blends for the use in skin care products. PI, collaborators: Penny Price Aromatherapy, March 2014- March 2015: 87K

Forthcoming events

Katie leads in collboration with Medilink East Midlands the Infectious Disease Special Interest Group for the East Midlands, please visit http://www.medilinkem.com/events/events-calendar to see when the next event is.

A Germ's Journey activity pop up shop for Children aged 18 months - 6 years will be held in Highcross Shopping Centre Leicester from the 19th-21st of April.

Conference attendance

Food micro Conference

Copenhagen, Denmark, August 2010:Inhibition of legionellae in water by citrus essential oils and components.
Italy September 2006: The effect of citrus essential oils and vapours and their components on the survival of foodborne pathogenic bacteria in vitro and in food systems.

House of Commons, Set for Britain

March 2007: Citrus essential oils: a potential bactericide in both the clinical and food arenas.

American Society of Microbiology Conference

New Orleans, USA, May 2015: Clostridium difficile and the UK Healthcare Laundry Policy: How clean is your hospital bed? (Outstanding poster award).
San Diego, USA, May 2010: Analysis of the Antimicrobial Components of Citri-V™^®:An Essential Oil Based Vapour.
Boston, USA, June 2008: The mechanism of action of a citrus oil blend against Enterococcus sp.
Toronto, May 2007: The use of citrus essential oils, temperature and pH (hurdle technology) against Enterococcus sp.

Society for Applied Microbiology Conference

Dublin, July 2015: 1) Novel green antimicrobial textile coatings for use in the healthcare and sport arenas, 2) Comparison of the antibacterial effect of silver and zinc oxide in solution and on coated surfaces on biofilms (2^nd prize, student poster competition) & 3) Developing a topical preparation containing a synergistic antimicrobial combination of essential oils for the control of acne vulgaris-associated bacteria.

Brighton, July 2014:Clostridium difficile spores and healthcare laundry policy: How clean is your hospital bed?
Edinburgh, July 2012: Reproducibility of a Static and a Continuous Flow Method for the Formation of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms & Bacterial contamination of healthcare uniforms and survival on different textile fibre types.
Dublin, July 2011: Assessment of methods for recovery of Clostridium difficile spores from textiles.
- Belfast, July 2008: The use of ozonated water to inhibit pathogenic bacteria.
- Cardiff, June 2007: The use of citrus essential oils against Enterococcus faecium and E. faecalis.

Society of General Microbiology Conference

Harrogate March 2009: The use of an antimicrobial citrus vapour to reduce Enterococcus sp. on lettuce and cucumber.

IUFoST

Cape Town, South Africa, August 2010: The effect of an essential oil vapour on the growth of Penicillium chrysogenum, Aspergillus niger and Alternaria alternate in vitro and on food." (oral presentation)

Textile Institute World Conference

Shah Alam, Malyasia, May 2012: How closely do hospital staff follow NHS guidelines on domestic laundering procedures? (oral presentation).

Australian Society for Microbiology

Melbourne, July 2014: Can fibre type have a role in the reduction of microorganism survival on healthcare uniforms?

Royal Pharmaceutical Society

Brighton, September 2014: Perceptions of antibiotic use and microbial resistance - a pilot study to test the potential of a fictitious vignette to assess lay beliefs and attitudes (oral presentation).

Euroscicon - Antibiotic alternatives for the new millennium

London, November 2014:
A Citrus Essential Oil Vapour: An Alternative to Chemical Disinfectants (oral presentation).
Comparison of the antibacterial effect of silver and zinc oxide in solution

and on coated surfaces.

An Investigation of the Double and Triple Synergistic Antimicrobial Interactions Between Litsea, Rosewood and Clove Essential Oils Against Acne-Associated Bacteria Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis.

Consultancy work

Product development
Healthcare textiles and laundering
Contamination and transmission routes for disease.
Food poisoning outbreaks
Food spoilage.
Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAIs)
Infection control – how to prevent outbreaks of viral and bacterial disease
New antimicrobials

Previous desktop analysis studies for efficacy of products have been conducted, also possible lab based projects could be conducted on the efficacy of antimicrobial products.

Expertise in efficacy of antimicrobial textiles or laundry products for the clinical and food arena

Talk Back UK -Channel 4 (How Clean is Your House?) BBC 3 – The Late Edition ITV – GMTV: This involved enumeration and identification of bacterial and fungal species using a variety of techniques and also includes report writing and on-site (location) consultancy during filming or reporting.

Work is currently being carried out with Channel 4 for the production of a series (“Twinsitute”) for prime time TV, looking at the science behind bathing and showering, removal of micro-organisms, the difference between cheap and expensive beauty products etc. We are waiting to hear if the programme will be commissioned.

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Plans (HACCP) in order to be able to offer food manufactures consultancy on setting up their food manufacturing lines so that they meet food safety legislation and be able to train their staff in HACCP.

Current research students

Current research student supervisions:

PhD - Mechanisms of action of novel plant formulations against Enterococcus sp. Oct 2017-2021, 1st Supervisor
PhD - A Germ's Journey Educational Resources, Oct 2017-2023, 2nd Supervisor
PhD– Development of novel synergistic therapeutic strategies to combat antimicrobial resistance: critical roles for natural products, PhD, Oct 2015 – 2018 - 1^st Supervisor
PhD – Natural products antimicrobial textile coatings for use in the sports and travel arenas. Oct 2014-2017 – 1^st Supervisor
PhD – The use of nano-metals against biofilms in a biomedical context. Oct 2011-2014 – 1st Supervisor
PhD - Survival of Clostridium difficile on cloth and exploration of new interventions during healthcare laundering, Oct 2010-2013 – 1st Supervisor.
PhD - Shape controlled synthesis of different nanoparticle metals. Oct 2012- 2017 – 2^nd Supervisor
PhD- Lay perceptions of antimicrobial resistance. Apr 2014-2019 – 2^nd Supervisor

Completions: 3 PhD and 1 MRes

Externally funded research grants information

PAL International, Industrial Project, April 2018 - Dec 2018, £20K, PI

Microfresh, Industrial Project, March 2018 - Dec 2018: £45K, PI

Clinical Fabric Solutions, Industrial Project, Assessment of antimicrobial healthcare textiles. Feb 2017-August 2017: £7500, PI

Textiles company- Industrial Project, Assessment of antimicrobial detergents for healthcare laundry. July 2016-July 2017: £5000, PI

Educational Resources Grant, Society for Applied microbiology, A Germs Journey. July 2016-July 2017: £3,855.00, PI

Travel Grant, Microbiology Society, Chemical analysis of natural products in combination with antibiotics. Oct 2016-Jan 2017: £3000, PI

Analysis antimicrobial effect of natural oil extracted from plant based product on Gut Microflora, Industrial Project: Jan 2015- Aug 2015: £6000, CI

DAAD Rise Programme: Internship from Germany for research placement starting Aug 2015: £5000, PI

Partnerships in Knowledge Transfer (PiKT), European Regional Development Fund, Essential oil blends for the use in skin care products. PI, collaborators: Penny Price Aromatherapy, March 2014- March 2015: 87K

Students into Work Grant, Society for Applied Microbiology (2011):2.5K

DAAD Rise Programme: Internship for research placement starting July 2011.

NIHR- Physical Environment funding (£110K) 2008 – 2009, led by Dr Terry Tudor at the University of Northampton, researching the effect of clinical waste procedures on hospital – acquired infections – microbiologist

EMDA -Innovation Fellowship (£15K) 2009 – 2010, led by Prof Carol Phillips at the Northampton University studying the effect of Citri-V™® on postharvest Pathogens PI.

EMDA Collaboration fund (£36K) 2009 – 2010 in association with Nottingham & Northampton University and the SME Falvometrix, assessing the antimicrobial components of Citri-V and their volatile release profiles.

EMDA -Innovation Fellowship (£15K) 2010 – 2011, led by Prof Carol Phillips at the Northampton University studying the effect of Citri-V™® on postharvest Pathogens, collaborators.

Internally funded research project information

CARA PhD Bursary - Mechanisms of action of novel plant formulations against Enterococcus sp. Oct 2017-2021, £49K
PhD Student Bursary (Fees only) – Development of novel synergistic therapeutic strategies to combat antimicrobial resistance: critical roles for natural products, PhD, Oct 2015 – 2018: £12 60
Higher Education Innovation Fund, Infectious Disease Research Group Networking Launch, Sept 2016 – July 2017: £3000,
Internal PhD Bursary - Antimicrobial textile coatings for use in the sports and travel arenas. Oct 2014-2017: £62,988
Research leave award: The use of natural products in synergy with antibiotics – Sept 2014 - Jan 2015: £5000
Medici Fellowship: Birmingham University, Jan- Nov 2014:
Future Research Leadership: Jan 2015 – Dec 2015: £3000
Internal PhD Bursary (Fees only) – The use of nano-metals against biofilms in a biomedical context. Oct 2011-2014: £12 600
Internal PhD Bursary - Survival of Clostridium difficile on cloth and exploration of new interventions during healthcare laundering, Oct 2010-2013: £54K
3D spacer fabrics for medical applications, RIF, Oct 2010-Oct 2011, (£10,000), CI.
Pump Prime Funds: Development of consultancy expertise and equipment, Oct 2010- Oct 2011 (£10,000), PI.

Published patents

United Kingdom Patent Application No. 0809935.0: Antimicrobial citrus essential oil blend vapour.

Professional esteem indicators

Reviewer for the Journal of Applied Microbiology and Letters in Applied Microbiology.

Invited Speaker:

- - Textile Rental Services Association (TRSA), Low Temperature washing of Nurses Uniforms, USA, September 2017 via webinar

Infection Control and Prevention Conference; Knowlex (Knowledge Exchange for the NHS), Domestic Laundering of Nurses Uniforms: The Effect of Low Temperature Laundering, Leeds, 12^th July 2017.
European Textile Services Association (ETSA), Hygiene of Domestic Laundering – Evaluating Risks and Opportunities. Paris 14^th-16^th of June
Infection Control and Prevention; Knowlex (Knowledge Exchange for the NHS), Domestic Laundering of Nurses Uniforms: The Effect of Low Temperature Laundering, London, Feb 2017.
Society of Hospital Linen Services and Laundry Managers Conference; Stratford Upon Avon, Domestic Laundering of Healthcare Uniforms, May 2016
Penny Price Aromatherapy Open Day, Hinckley, A citrus essential oil vapour a possible chemical disinfectant, May 2015

Chair of the East Midlands Infectious Disease Special Interest Group (Medilink)

Case studies

Examples of evidence of the ‘Impact’ of research e.g. references to reviews/articles in main stream media, examples of feedback from users, exhibition attendance figures.

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