Projects per year
Personal profile
Key Research Interests
- The biology of the bacterial pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii
- Evolution of bacterial drug resistance mechanisms
- Transmission of drug resistance in bacterial populations
- Population dynamics of bacterial pathogens
The evolution and spread of antibiotic resistance
Bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics through a number of different mechanisms. These include intrinsic mechanism that all members of the bacterial species posses and that they switch on or ‘ramp up’ when exposed to antibiotics, and mechanisms that the bacteria acquire from external sources that can then be exchanged between bacteria.
My work centres on understanding which mechanisms bacteria are using to become resistant to antibiotics, and how these are evolving and being transferred in bacterial populations. An example of current work is investigating the effect of non-antibiotic drugs, such as cancer chemotherapies, on promoting antibiotic resistance. Many drugs used in healthcare coincidently have antibacterial properties, and therefore bacteria develop resistance against these. However, in doing so, some bacteria can become more resistant to antibiotics at the same time, even without having been exposed to any antibiotics. This ‘cross-resistance’, where exposure to one drug (e.g. a cancer chemotherapy) causes resistance to a different drug (e.g. an antibiotic) is not well understood despite its potential to have a major impact on the evolution and spread of antibiotic resistance. By understanding how different drugs cause cross-resistance to antibiotics we will gain a more holistic view of antibiotic resistance that can be exploited in the design and development of new drugs, and in the management and use of existing drugs.
Postgraduate Research Opportunities
If you have obtained or have the option to obtain funding to complete a PhD, I would be interested to hear from you. Please email me to discuss further.
Career
Sept 2006 – Nov 2009: PhD in Medical Microbiology, University of Edinburgh, UK
Nov 2009 – Jul 2011: Post-doctoral Research Associate, University of Manchester, UK
Aug 2011 – Sep 2012: Post-doctoral Research Associate, University of Liverpool, UK
Oct 2012 – Sep 2013: Lecturer in Microbiology and Medical Biotechnology, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
Sep 2013 – Jul 2016: Senior Lecturer in Microbiology and Medical Biotechnology, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
Sep 2015 – Jul 2016: Deputy Head of Department (Acting), Biomedical and Forensic Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, UK
Jul 2016 – Present: Lecturer in Medical Microbiology, University of East Anglia, UK
Academic Background
- The biology of Acinetobacter baumannii
- Antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative bacterial pathogens
- Natural transformation in Streptococcus pneumoniae
- Population evolution in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
- Bacterial genomics
Teaching Interests
- Lecturing on the Gateway to Medicine course
- Tutor for 1st Year Student Selected Studies (SSS) Genetics
- Tutor for 3rd Year Student Selected Studies (SSS) Microbiology and Immunology
- Supervisor for SSS Research
- Medical degree Problem-Based Learning (PBL) SSS tutor
- Tutor for MRes Clinical Science
- Tutor for medical elective
- Supervisor for MSc Molecular Medicine and MRes Clinical Science project students
- Advisor to medical students
Administrative Posts
- Director of Postgraduate Research, Norwich Medical School
- Director of the MRC Doctoral Antimicrobial Research Training (DART) iCASE programme
- UEA Microbiological Safety Officer
- UEA Genetic Modification Safety Officer
- Chair, UEA Biological Hazards and Genetic Modification Review Committee
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Doctor of Philosophy, The significance of the OXA-51-like β-lactamases of Acinetobacter baumannii, University of Edinburgh
2006 → 2009
Bachelor of Science, Microbiology and Infection, University of Edinburgh
2001 → 2005
Keywords
- Medicine (general)
- Bacteriology
- Antibiotic resistance
- Genomics
- Evolution
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Building capacity towards the design of a point of care diagnostic tool for infectious diseases
1/03/24 → 28/02/25
Project: Research
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Cancer chemotherapy as a driver for antibiotic resistance evolution
1/01/19 → 31/12/21
Project: Research
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BBSRC Strategic Programme: Microbes in the Food Chain
Wain, J., Evans, B. & O'Grady, J.
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
1/04/18 → 31/03/23
Project: Research
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Comparison of genotypic features between two groups of antibiotic resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates obtained before and after the COVID-19 pandemic from Egypt
Gameleldin, P., Alseqely, M., Evans, B. A., Omar, H. & Abouelfetouh, A., 21 Oct 2024, In: BMC Genomics. 25, 983.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Molecular epidemiology of antibiotic resistance in humans and animals
Amyes, S. G. B. & Evans, B. A., 2024, Molecular Medical Microbiology. Tang, Y-W., Hindiyeh, M., Liu, D., Sails, A., Spearman, P. & Zhang, J-R. (eds.). 3rd ed. Elsevier, Vol. 1. p. 533-548 16 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
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Acinetobacter baumannii from grass: novel but non-resistant clones
Mateo-Estrada, V., Tyrrell, C., Evans, B., Aguilar-Vera, A., Drissner, D., Castillo-Ramirez, S. & Walsh, F., 13 Jul 2023, In: Microbial Genomics. 9, 7, 001054.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile12 Citations (Scopus)14 Downloads (Pure) -
Genomics of Acinetobacter baumannii iron uptake
Artuso, I., Poddar, H., Evans, B. A. & Visca, P., 7 Aug 2023, In: Microbial Genomics. 9, 8, 001080.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile3 Citations (Scopus)10 Downloads (Pure) -
Knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of Egyptians towards antibiotic use in the community: can we do better?
Maarouf, L., Amin, M., Evans, B. A. & Abouelfetouh, A., 24 May 2023, In: Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control. 12, 50.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile7 Citations (Scopus)9 Downloads (Pure)
Activities
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What it is like being a scientist
Ben Evans (Speaker)
10 Nov 2021Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Schools engagement