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Current fundamental research themes for studying Campylobacter and other enteric microorganisms include: -

• Mechanisms of response to environmental and host stress
• Prevalence and characterising the function of Type VI Secretion Systems (T6SS)
• Survival and persistence mechanisms in relation to host cells; the unfolded protein response
• Mechanisms of adhesion and invasion
• Role of outer membrane vesicles

Current applied research relating to intervention and control strategies include: - 

• Understanding the host microbiome and why pathogens such as Campylobacter appear and persist within avians
• The food chain and points of control e.g. analysis of Listeria outbreaks
• Effective management practices
• The role and impact of natural antimicrobials

Current Postdoctoral supervision (2):-

• (LSHTM) - 2024 - Present. Supervisor Dr Ozan Gundogdu. Project - Understanding the role of the Type II MLA system in OMV biogenesis: towards developing an effective vaccine against Campylobacter jejuni in poultry.
• Molly Webster (LSHTM) - 2024 - Present. Supervisor Dr Ozan Gundogdu. Project - Dissecting the Antibacterial Role of Campylobacter's Type VI Secretion System and Effectors Across Diverse Host Environments.

Current PhD students (4):-

• Blanca Palmero (LSHTM) - 2024 - 2028. Primary supervisor Dr Ozan Gundogdu with . Project - Investigation of the role of the Campylobacter jejuni Type VI Secretion System in bacterial secretion of virulence factors and interaction with host cells.
• (MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM) - 2024 - 2028. Primary supervisor Dr Ozan Gundogdu with Dr Jahangir Hossain and (Uni. of Oxford)
• Pranaya Kansakar (LSHTM) - MRC LID studentship - 2023 - 2027. Primary supervisor Dr Ozan Gundogdu with Professor Brendan Wren and Dr Ezra Aksoy (QMUL). Project - Investigating Campylobacter jejuni interactions with endoplasmic reticulum in intestinal epithelial cells resulting in induction of the unfolded protein response.
• (LSHTM) - BBSRC LIDo iCASE studentship - 2022 - 2026. Primary supervisor Dr Ozan Gundogdu with (RVC), (RVC) and Dr Anne Richmond (Moy Park Ltd). Project - Breeders to broilers: optimising chicken health and performance to reduce susceptibility to zoonotic bacteria, viruses and parasite.

Past MSc research project students (15)

Past PhD students (4)

Past Postdoctoral supervision (3)

Hosting sessions (>30 since 11)

Funding awarded:-
Small Scale

• £57,000 from Moy Park, Belfast, U.K as Principal Investigator to study environmental parameters impacting gut microbial population structure and pathogenic bacteria (2023).
• £75,000 from British Council UK-ASEAN Institutional Links as Principal Investigator with Professor Sunee Korbsrisate at the University of Mahidol, Thailand to investigate the genotypic and phenotypic properties of Burkholderia bacteriophage biodiversity (2022). Outcomes [PMID: 38633694].
• £81,500 from National Natural Science Foundation of China as Co-Investigator with Professor Jinlin Huang at the University of Yangzhou, China to investigate the biological phenotype and regulatory network of FlhF in Campylobacter jejuni in relation to oxidative stress (2021). Outcomes [PMID: 34952396, PMID: 32265885].
• £11,500 from Houghton Trust as Co-Investigator with Professor Damer Blake, Dr Dong Xia and Dr Androniki Psifidi (RVC) to dissect Campylobacter-Eimeria co-infections to understand pathogen dynamics and develop a model for future poultry studies (2020).
• £12,000 from Royal Society-Newton Mobility Grant as LSHTM Principal Investigator with Professor Sunee Korbsrisate (Mahidol University, Thailand) to study the impact of bacteriophages on adaptation and virulence on pathogenic Burkholderia pseudomallei and non-pathogenic B. thailandensis (2019). Outcomes [PMID: 38633694].
• £50,000 from Moy Park, Belfast, U.K as Principal Investigator to study the gut microbiome of chickens over the course of 35 days and to investigate the onset of Campylobacter (2017). Outcomes [PMID: 30197638, PMID: 30374341].
• £10,000 from Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) as Principal Investigator to study the effects of the natural antimicrobial peptide carvacrol on the delayed onset of Campylobacter (2016). Outcomes: [PMID: 28398869].

Medium/Large Scale

• £5,850,000 from Wellcome Trust as Co-Applicant with (Uni. of Oxford) to study Campylobacter vaccine design using omics-based methods (2025. 
• £850,000 from BBSRC Responsive mode as Principal Investigator with Co-I  (QMUL) to study the role of the Type VI Secretion System in Campylobacter jejuni pathogenesis (2024).
• £530,000 from BBSRC India-UK partnership to address farmed animal diseases and health as Principal Investigator with Co-PI Mallick (IISER Kolkata, India) to study OMV formation and use as a vaccine (2024).
• £100,000 from Nagasaki-LSHTM Studentship as Principal Supervisor with Co-supervisor (Nagasaki University): Investigating Campylobacter jejuni T6SS and effector functions (2024).
• £225,000 from Royal Society International Science Partnership Fund International Collaboration Awards as Principal Investigator with Co-PI (Nagasaki University) to study the Campylobacter jejuni T6SS and impact on microbiome (2024).
• £115,000 from MRC LID Studentship as Principal Supervisor: Investigating Campylobacter jejuni interactions with endoplasmic reticulum in intestinal epithelial cells resulting in induction of the unfolded protein response (2023).
• £105,000 from Daphne Jackson to supervise the Fellowship applicant : Investigating the impact of Campylobacter on the chicken gut microbiome (2022).
• £185,000 from BBSRC iCASE Studentship as Principal Supervisor with Moy Park: Breeders to broilers: optimising chicken health and performance to reduce susceptibility to zoonotic bacteria, viruses and parasite colonisation (2021).
• £453,979 from DAERA as Co-Investigator with Dr Ramon Muns (AFBI) to study influencing new born piglets microbiota: an innovative and applied approach (2020).
• £612,857 from Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) as Co-Investigator with (AFBI) to study strategies to overcome the removal of zinc oxide from pig diets: maintaining advances in production and reduction of the use of antimicrobials (2020).
• £187,000 from Safefood as Co-Investigator with to study risk profiling of Listeria in ready-to-eat foods (RTE) and determination of control strategies and practical interventions (2016). Outcomes: [DOI:10.1016/j.foodcont.2017.12.020].
• $4.80 Million BMGF Post-Doctoral researcher investigating metagenomics of pit latrines in Tanzania and Vietnam for optimum latrine decomposition. Department of DDC, LSHTM, June 2011 - June 2013, achieved 50% salary recovery. Outcomes: [PMID: 26875588, PMID 36212864].

Scientific Committees:-

• Scientific committee member for CHRO 2019 (Belfast)
• Strategic advisory group member for £2 Million MRC CLIMB-BIG-DATA project (2020)
• Co-organiser of CampyUK goes global virtual 2021 conference.
• Nagasaki-LSHTM partnership steering committee (2022)
• Scientific committee member for CHRO 2022 (Yangzhou)
• Theme Leader for LSHTM Centre for Data and Statistical Sciences for Health (DASH)
• LSHTM Employment Review Programme Committee Board (2024)
• MRC LID Board (2024)
• BBSRC LIDo iCASE Board (2025)
• Scientific Advisory Board for

Editor Roles:-

• ,

Languages:-

• English, Turkish, Spanish