I am an NIHR academic clinical lecturer specialising in infectious diseases and microbiology, and a clinical microbiologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital. My principal research interest is in how bacteria which are usually found in the nose or mouth cause brain infections, as well as the host inflammatory response to these infections when they occur.
Following medical training at the University of Cambridge and King’s College London, I completed the distance learning MSc in Infectious Diseases at LSHTM exploring the role of complement in immunity to Streptococcus pneumoniae infection. I then attained an NIHR Academic Clinic Fellowship followed by a Wellcome Trust Research Training Fellowship, completing my PhD I on the interaction of S. pneumoniae, endothelial cells and vascular pericytes at the blood-brain barrier in S. pneumoniae meningitis at UCL. I completed clinical training in Infectious Diseases and Microbiology in 2025.
In addition to my scientific work, during my lectureship I am working to improve the experience of clinical-academic trainees, and clinical trainees interested in research. I am working to increase mentorship for early and mid career clinical researchers working in Infection, as well as fostering the formation of peer networks and role modelling to support women and trainees with caring responsibilities.
Affiliations
Teaching
I currently teach at both UCL and LSHTM. At LSHTM, I am a module organiser for 3121 Core Bacteriology in the MSc in Medical Microbiology, teach on Diagnostic Bacteriology and am a tutor & examiner for IDM205 'Healthcare Acquired Infections'. At UCL, I lecture undergraduates on 'How Bacteria Cause Disease' and provide tutorials as part of the 'Infection and Defence' course.
I was awarded a Postgraduate Certificate in Learning & Teaching with distinction in 2025, and am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
I also mentor for the Social Mobility Foundation and recently established a peer-mentoring scheme for clinical academic trainees at LSHTM.
Research
My principal research interest is in pyogenic streptococcal infection, particularly the pathogenesis of the Streptococcus anginosus group (formerly milleri group) and pyogenic infection of the brain and lung more broadly. I was awarded an ESCMID project grant to undertake work exploring the epidemiology, genome and virulence of Streptococcus intermedius, with particular focus on brain abscesses, and have recently received an Academy of Medical Sciences starter grant to develop mutagenesis approaches to explore the determinants of pathogenicity in this organism.
I have clinical research interests in the microbiology of paediatric infection, central line associated bloodstream infection and infection in the context of immunosuppression, and have ongoing projects in these areas.
Selected Publications
