Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Teaching
I organise two modules in the Biological Sciences degree course; BIO-5009A Genetics and BIO-5023Y Data Science for Biologists.
I also teach BIO-4008Y Skills for Biologists, BIO-4018A Molecular Biology and Genetics, BIO-5013A Field Ecology, BIO 5015B Microbiology, BIO-6013A Genomics and BIO-6019Y Research Projects.
I have a passion for applied data skills, maths and statistics in the life sciences, please see my personal webpage for information on my projects and collaborations, or feel free to contact me directly.
Research Interests
I am a molecular biologist interested in developing and testing new genetic technologies to control pest insects including several species of mosquitoes and fruit flies.
The requirement to develop new techniques for insect control that minimize negative environmental impacts has never been more pressing. Genetic pest management (GPM) involves releasing modified versions of a pest species to mate with wild pests in the target area. It has potential for a wide range of applications in public health, agriculture and conservation.
I have worked on CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing in a range of insect pest species, developing and testing new forms of gene drives, a type of genetic engineering technique that modifies genes so that they don't follow the typical rules of heredity.
I also research the effects of gut microbes on health and reproduction in fruit flies (Drosophila and medfly), exploring these effects in terms of the evolutionary associations between hosts and their symbionts.
Administrative Duties
Student Partnership Officer
Chair of the Extenuating Circumstances Panel
Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body Statistician
Exam Board Committee member
Teaching Committee member
Module organiser: BIO-5023Y, BIO-5009A
External Pages
For my full list of publications, please see my scholar page.
For more on my research & teaching, please see my personal page.
Career
- Associate Professor (2022 - present)
- Lecturer in Biological Sciences (2019 - 2022)
- Project coordinator at the Pirbright Institute (2016 - 2019)
- Researcher Co-I, UEA (2012 - 2015)
- PhD, UEA
- BSc, Durham University
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):
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Projects
- 1 Finished
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Colonisation, domestication and population control in pest insects
Chapman, T., Hutchings, M., Leftwich, P. & Barber, K.
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
1/10/12 → 30/09/15
Project: Research
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Challenges in developing a split drive targeting dsx for the genetic control of the invasive malaria vector Anopheles stephensi
Larrosa-Godall, M., Ang, J. X. D., Leftwich, P. T., Gonzalez, E., Shackleford, L., Nevard, K., Noad, R., Anderson, M. A. E. & Alphey, L., 7 Feb 2025, In: Parasites & Vectors. 18, 46.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
A multiplexed, confinable CRISPR/Cas9 gene drive can propagate in caged Aedes aegypti populations
Anderson, M. A. E., Gonzalez, E., Edgington, M. P., Ang, J. X. D., Purusothaman, D. K., Shackleford, L., Nevard, K., Verkuijl, S. A. N., Harvey-Samuel, T., Leftwich, P. T., Esvelt, K. & Alphey, L., 25 Jan 2024, In: Nature Communications. 15, 729.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile9 Citations (SciVal)10 Downloads (Pure) -
A synthetic biology approach to transgene expression in insects
Leftwich, P. T., Purcell, J. C., Anderson, M. A. E., Fragkoudis, R., Basu, S., Lycett, G. & Alphey, L., 20 Sept 2024, In: ACS Synthetic Biology. 13, 9, p. 3041–3045 5 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile5 Downloads (Pure) -
Gene drive and genetic sex conversion in the global agricultural pest Ceratitis capitata
Meccariello, A., Hou, S., Davydova, S., Fawcett, J. D., Siddall, A., Leftwich, P. T., Krsticevic, F., Papathanos, P. A. & Windbichler, N., 8 Jan 2024, In: Nature Communications. 15, 372.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile3 Citations (Scopus)15 Downloads (Pure) -
Accentuating the positive and eliminating the negative: Efficacy of TiO2 as digestibility index marker for poultry nutrition studies
Sprigg, C., Leftwich, P. T., Burton, E., Scholey, D., Bedford, M. R. & Brearley, C. A., 26 Jun 2023, In: PLoS One. 18, 6, e0284724.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile6 Downloads (Pure)
Datasets
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Data from: Adaptation to divergent larval diets in the medfly, Ceratitis capitata
Leftwich, P. (Creator), Nash, W. (Creator), Friend, L. (Creator) & Chapman, T. (Creator), Dryad data repository, 18 Nov 2016
DOI: 10.5061/dryad.b1410
Dataset
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Gut microbiomes and reproductive isolation in Drosophila.
Leftwich, P. (Creator), Clarke, N. (Creator), Hutchings, M. (Creator) & Chapman, T. (Creator), Figshare, 7 Nov 2017
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.5469316.v3
Dataset
Prizes
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Most Inspiring and Creative Teaching Award (Shortlisted Nominee)
Leftwich, Philip (Recipient), 22 Jun 2022
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Open University Validation Partnerships Process Panel Member: North East Surrey College Of Technology (NESCOT)
Philip Leftwich (Presenter)
31 Mar 2023Activity: Other activity types › Other
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Physalia Courses Consultant
Philip Leftwich (Presenter)
1 Sept 2022 → 5 Sept 2022Activity: Other activity types › Other
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Open University Validation Partnerships Panel Member: American College of Thessaloniki
Philip Leftwich (Presenter)
24 May 2022Activity: Other activity types › Other
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Consultant for Benchling R&D
Philip Leftwich (Consultant)
28 Sept 2020 → 31 Mar 2021Activity: Consultancy
Press/Media
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Foundations to lay when teaching computational and data skills
7/07/22
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Media Coverage or Contribution
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Online and blended learning tools to teach data science
23/03/22
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Media Coverage or Contribution
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Benchling announces launch of Benchling for Education (Feb 2021)
25/02/21 → 26/02/21
20 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Media Coverage or Contribution
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Genetically modified flies 'could save crops'
13/08/14
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Media Coverage or Contribution