Dr Gwen Knight
BA MSc MRes PhD
Associate Professor
I returned to LSHTM in November 2017 with an MRC Skills Development Fellowship to explore the dynamics of antimicrobial resistance using mathematical modelling. Prior to this (2015-2017), I worked at the NIHR funded Health Protection Research Unit on Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance at Imperial College London. I am now involved in the CMMID COVID-19 response.
My previous role at LSHTM (2012-2015), was as a research fellow, in the TB modelling team, where I was involved in modelling the dynamics of the disease Tuberculosis (TB) and the impact of a range of different control measures from new drug regimens to vaccines.
I completed my PhD in 2012 investigating various aspects, both modelling and experimental, of the hospital associated bacteria methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). This was completed at CoMPLEX, UCL, with experimental and epidemiological work based at St George's Healthcare NHS Trust. Prior to this, I was awarded a BA in Mathematics from Oxford University, and an MSc in Mathematical Modelling from UCL. This led to an MRes in Modelling Biological Complexity at CoMPLEX.
More information can be found on my personal web page.
Affiliations
Centres
Teaching
I was co-organiser of the "Introduction to Infectious Disease Modelling and its Applications" short course at LSHTM. I also used to teach on the MSc module of the same name.
Research
My fellowship aims to explore the dynamics of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) from three angles. Firstly, to build models that explore resistance heterogeneity in fitness and resistance (e.g. MIC). Secondly, I want to explore why different places have different levels of resistance and use the results of this profiling to, thirdly, build models for better intervention design and AMR control.
I am currently also working on the COVID-19 response. Specifically focused on the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in hospital environments.
During my time at the HPRU in HCAI and AMR at Imperial College London I worked on projects using locally collected data to design better interventions for control of carbapenem resistant Enterobacteriaceae alongside thinking about the fundamental question of where does AMR originate from?
I have a long standing interest in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, specifically the resistant subpopulation (multidrug resistant, MDR-TB). I have been involved in investigating new methods to control the spread (e.g. antiretroviral therapy, potential new TB vaccines) as well as the impact of shortening therapy.
Selected Publications
