My interests focus on the development of conjunctival fibrosis causing scarring and the characterisation of immune responses to potential C. trachomatis vaccine candidates. We are part of a EU Horizon 2020 funded consortium to develop a vaccine against C. trachomatis ocular infections (TracVac) and a member of the London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research. In particular we have applied genomic scale studies to trachoma examining the conjunctival transcriptome by microarray, RNAseq and high through put quantitative RTPCR. We have also studied ocular bacterial communties using 16S-amplicon sequencing, the global anti-Ct antibody repertoire, and host genetic susceptiblity by GWAS. We have also studied pathogen variation by whole genome sequencing associated with clinical severity, ocular tropism and identified genome wide signatures of selection. This has led to the development of a number of research areas including investigating the role of NK cells in the response to C. trachomatis, the contribution of host genetics (in particular the role of KIR/HLA) to disease and understanding the extent of pathogen diversity and its impact on clinical disease.

I spent 8 years at the Medical Research Council Unit in The Gambia leading a group field assistants, students and scientists investigating trachoma. We investigated the immunology of ocular infection with C. trachomatis cutting across a number of disciplines ranging from molecular immunogenetics to classical cellular immunology. Our work in trachoma endemic populations continues through collaboration with the MRC Unit and with other members of LSHTM staff in The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Tanzania, Malawi and Ethiopia.