Expert Details
Genome (and Transcriptome) Sequencing and Parasitology
ID: 729418
United Kingdom
Expert was originally trained in Biochemistry and then completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship on Trypanosoma brucei at Rockefeller University, before joining the Sanger Institute as a senior computer biologist in 2000, initially to work on annotating and analysing the genomes of P. falciparum and T. brucei. His current research concerns the breadth of parasites, particularly the medically important Apicomplexan and Kinetoplastid protozoa, which include malaria parasites and trypanosomes, respectively, and parasitic helminths.
Comparative genomics techniques are used, firmly anchored around one or two high quality, and manually reviewed genomes to place biological phenomena in a genomic context. In 2008, he joined the Sanger Institute faculty to lead a programme in the genomics of Neglected Tropical Disease parasites, which include parasitic helminths such as Schistosomes, tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms, threadworms and whipworms.
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 1998 | Degree: PhD | Subject: Molecular Parasitology (Malaria) | Institution: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine |
| Year: 1994 | Degree: BSc Hons | Subject: Biochemistry | Institution: University of Manchester |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2008 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Undisclosed | Department: Undisclosed |
Responsibilities:He leads a programme in the genomics of neglected tropical disease parasites, including helminths such as Schistomosomes, tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms, threadworms and whipworms |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2005 to 2008 | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Project Manager | Department: Undisclosed |
Responsibilities:He was responsible for and managed all eukaryotic pathogen genome sequencing projects at the Institute |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2000 to 2005 | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Senior Computer Biologist | Department: Undisclosed |
Responsibilities:He was responsible for annotating and the analysing the genomes of major parasitic protozoa |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1998 to 2000 | Employer: Rockefeller University | Title: Undisclosed | Department: Undisclosed |
Responsibilities:He carried out a research project on the telomeres of African trypanosomes |
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Additional Experience
| Training / Seminars |
|---|
| *** In the last 7 years, he has given MORE THAN 15 INVITED SEMINARS (Roche Genome Sequencer FLX Showcase [London 2008]; Malaria Genomic Epidemiology [Hinxton 2008]; BWF/WT-funded “Next Steps for Plasmodium Post-genomic Research: A Strategy Meeting” [London 2008]; International Journal of Parasitology Seminar @ Australian Society for Parasitology, [Canberra, Australia 2007]; International Conference on the Bioinformatics of African Pathogens and Disease Vectors [Nairobi, Kenya 2007]; Institute of Hygiene, University of Montevideo [Uruguay 2007]; American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene [Atlanta, USA 2006]; Royal Genetics Society [London 2006]; Cambridge Parasitology seminar series, [Cambridge 2006]; University of Edinburgh [2006]; Institute of Hygiene, University of Montevideo [Uruguay 2006]; Institute Pasteur, Montevideo [Uruguay 2006]; ASM Conference, [Denver, USA 2006]; University of Glasgow [2006]; Molecular and Cellular Biology of Helminth Parasites [Greece 2005]; International Conference on Microbial Genomes [Halifax, Canada 2005]; African Human Genome Initiative workshop on pathogen genomics and infectious diseases in Africa [South Africa 2003] *** He has ORGANISED AND TAUGHT 15 workshops on bioinformatics and genome analysis (Wellcome Trust-funded Workshop "Working with Parasite Databases” [Hinxton UK, October 2010]; Wellcome Trust-funded Workshop “Working with Pathogen Genomes” [UK annually 2003-2007 and Uruguay, Kenya, Thailand, Vietnam and Malawi on multiple occasions]; Wellcome Trust/Burroughs Wellcome funded Malaria community genome reannotation workshop [UK 2007]; BioMalPar (EU Framework 6 Network of Excellence) Malaria Bioinformatics workshop [UK 2005, Italy 2006]; Second African Course on Bioinformatics for Tropical Disease Research [South Africa 2003]; Second Latin American WHO/TDR Course on Bioinformatics for Tropical Disease Research [Brazil 2003] |
| Other Relevant Experience |
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| SESSION CHAIR/SYMPOSIUM ORGANISER(• Organising committee for Joint Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory/Wellcome Trust Conference “Infectious Disease Genomics & Global Health” [Hinxton 2010];• Invited chair for three symposia at International Congress of Parasitology [Melbourne 2010];• Organising committee for Joint Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory/Wellcome Trust Conference “Genomic perspectives to Host-Pathogen Interactions” [Hinxton 2006, 2008];• Organiser for Wellcome Trust Conference “Malaria Parasite Diversity”. [Hinxton 2007];• Organising committee for Vivax Malaria Research: 2005 and Beyond [Maryland, USA 2005];• Scientific Advisory Committee for ESF-EMBO Symposium on Comparative Genomics of Eukaryotic Microorganisms [Spain 2005];• Organising committee for Joint Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory/Wellcome Trust Conference “Functional Genomics of Host-Pathogen Interactions” [Hinxton 2004];• Chair at first annual meeting of COST Action 857: Apicomplexan biology in the post-genomic era [Portugal 2004]) |