Dr Raymond Allan

Dr Raymond Allan is a Senior Lecturer in Microbiology in the School of Pharmacy at De Montfort University. His research focusses on the investigation of bacterial biofilms, developing an understanding of the adaptive mechanisms they employ to enable their survival within the human host, and investigating their role in chronic infectious disease. His research also includes the identification of targets for the development and investigation of novel treatment strategies for biofilm-associated infections.

He has over 10 years’ experience investigating biofilm-associated infections at University of Southampton, the National Biofilms Innovation Centre, and Southampton NIHR Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility, joining De Montfort University in 2019.

Leicester Institute of Pharmaceutical Innovation for Integrated Care (LIPIIC)

• Respiratory pathogens (Streptococcus pneumoniae, non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus)
• Biofilm-associated infections
• Host-pathogen interactions
• Bacterial adaptive responses
• Identification of targets for development of novel anti-biofilm agents

Dean’s Award for outstanding contribution in Enterprise; University of Southampton (2017)

• Microbiology Society (2017)
• Society for Applied Microbiology (2019)

Targeting pneumococcal carbohydrate metabolism to treat childhood infections. Funded by Rosetrees Trust (PI, June 2018-2020). Investigation of chemically-modified galactose analogues as novel treatments for Streptococcus pneumoniae biofilm-associated infections.

Investigation of non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) biofilm infection in Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia. 2 PhD studentships funded by Wessex Medical Research, Southampton NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, and Asthma, Allergy & Inflammation Research Charity (CI, Oct 2018-2021). Development of a new model incorporating NTHi, primary respiratory epithelial cells, and macrophages to investigate host-pathogen interactions and biofilm clearance using novel nitric oxide donor compounds.

Investigation into the role of epithelial lipid membrane profiles in bacterial colonisation. Funded by British Lung Foundation (CI, July 2019-2021). Investigation into how the lipid membrane profile of respiratory epithelium is linked to Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonisation and biofilm formation in Cystic Fibrosis.

• PhD - Characterisation of primary ciliary dyskinesia epithelial responses to non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae biofilm infection, Oct 2018-2021. 2nd supervisor
• PhD - Development of an advanced host-pathogen interaction model to investigate responses to Haemophilus influenzae biofilm infection in primary ciliary dyskinesia, Oct 2018-2021. 2nd supervisor
• DM - Application of reactive oxygen in the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis, Oct 2016-2019. 2nd supervisor
• Completions: 2 PhD

• British Lung Foundation, Research project, July 2019, £25K, CI Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in cystic fibrosis: Is the lipid membrane profile of the respiratory epithelium linked to colonisation and biofilm formation?
• Asthma, Allergy & Inflammation Research Charity, Research project, January 2019, £9.5K, PI Development of an advanced host-pathogen interaction model to investigate responses to Haemophilus influenzae biofilm infection in primary ciliary dyskinesia
• Rosetrees Trust, Research project, June 2018, £20K, PI Targeting pneumococcal carbohydrate metabolism to treat childhood infections
• Wessex Medical Research & Southampton NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, PhD studentship, January 2018, £99K, CI Characterisation of Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) epithelial responses to non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae biofilm infection
• Matoke Holdings Ltd, Industry project, December 2017, £35K, CI Development of SurgihoneyTM and other compositions comprising an enzyme that is able to convert a substrate to release hydrogen peroxide as a novel biofilm-targeted topical therapy in chronic rhinosinusitis
• Antabio, Industry project, July 2017, £180K, CI Development of small molecule inhibitors of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa LasB protease virulence factor for the treatment of infections in CF patients
• University of Southampton Network for Anti-Microbial Resistance and Infection Prevention, Research project, June 2016, £11.5K, PI Development of rationally designed tagatose analogues as a novel treatment strategy for pneumococcal biofilm infections.
• Matoke Holdings Ltd, Industry project, May 2016, £46K, PI Application of Reactive Oxygen in the treatment of respiratory tract infections.
• University of Southampton Network for Anti-Microbial Resistance and Infection Prevention, Research project, £18K, PI Prevention of pneumococcal biofilm formation on tympanostomy tubes to combat AMR.
• Rosetrees Trust, Research project, November 2015, £20K, CI Development of an engineered honey as a novel antibiotic-sparing topical therapy in chronic rhinosinusitis.
• University of Southampton Network for Anti-Microbial Resistance and Infection Prevention, Research project, September 2015, £12K, CI Does fucose inhibit Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonisation of ciliated airway epithelium?
• British Medical Association (Helen H Lawson Grant), September 2015, £15.5K, CI
• University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine Enterprise Funding, April 2015, £15K, CI To investigate the antimicrobial activity and toxicity of Surgihoney™ in chronic rhinosinusitis-related bacterial biofilms.
• NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Unit, December 2014, £19.5K, CI Evaluation of the in vitro antimicrobial activity of Surgihoney™ in chronic rhinosinusitis bacterial biofilms

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