Members

	Dr Christopher Rodrigues Principal Investigator \| Associate Professor Christopher.Rodrigues@warwick.ac.uk Background: I am a Molecular Microbiologist interested in bacterial molecular biology and genetics. I completed my PhD at the University of Technology Sydney (2007-2011) and received postdoctoral training at the Harvard Medical School (2011-2017). My current work: The Rodrigues Lab focuses on obtaining a deeper understanding of the molecular underpinnings of how bacteria develop into spores, with the goal of providing knowledge that can fuel the development of new strategies aimed at interfering with this process. For more details on our research areas, please explore our research and publications. Thank you for visiting our website!
	Betty Fekade MIBTP PhD Candidate B etty.Fekade@warwick.ac.uk Background: My background is in clinical microbiology; I studied BSc Biomedical Science and followed this with an MSc in Clinical and Molecular Microbiology. I have worked with bacteriophages and clinical bacterial samples. For the past two years I have worked as a Senior Scientist in a SARS-COV-2 diagnostic lab. My current work: My PhD project in the Rodrigues lab is focused on the very early stages of spore development and how bacterial cells decide to sporulate or not.
	Kaitlyn Coleman MIBTP PhD Candidate kaitlyn.coleman@warwick.ac.uk Background: I am a biomedical scientist who has been studying at the University of Warwick since 2019. I have recently completed a three-month undergraduate research project in plant virology, studying the genetic diversity of turnip yellows virus in wild Brassica plants. My current work: My research interests include deciphering the function of essential genes and the mechanisms involved in spore envelope assembly. Specifically, I am investigating the role of a poorly-defined gene during spore development.
	Behzad Dehghani Chancellor's PhD Candidate Behzad.dehghani@warwick.ac.uk Background: I completed my master’s degree in Microbiology, with my dissertation focused on the application of recombinant protein InvH to induce the immune system against S. enteritidis. After graduating, I have been involved in a diverse range of clinical research projects related to viral, and bacterial infections including E. coli, Influenza, HBV, HCV, and HIV. My current work: My PhD project in the Rodrigues lab is focused on important proteins involved in sporulation of Bacillus subtilis and Clostridioides difficile.
	Dr Danae Morales-Angeles Postdoctoral Researcher danae.morales-angeles@warwick.ac.uk Background: I did my PhD in the group of Dirk-Jan Scheffers (University of Groningen) in which I focused on cell wall synthesis using Bacillus subtilis as model organism. Later, I did a postdoc in the group of Morten Kjos (Norwegian University of Life Science), I investigated the function of genes involved in Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation and cell wall synthesis. Google Scholar My current work: At the moment, I am exploring the function of novel genes involved in sporulation.
	Dr Chris LB Graham Postdoctoral Researcher Chris.L.B.graham@warwick.ac.uk Background: After a masters on the predatory bacterium Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus with Prof Liz Sockett OBE, I did a Biochemistry and Microbiology PhD with Prof David Roper on lipid transport (PqiB/Waal etc) and peptidoglycan modifiers in diderm bacteria, especially RodA-PBP2 of E. col, where we uncovered the mechanism of enzymatic action. Alongside this, I worked on coordination of community and pedagogical science. My passion is seeing pretty images, bioinformatics, the cell envelope and to make new scientific methods. Google Scholar My current work: At the moment, I am exploring the link between peptidoglycan remodelling and DNA translocation during sporulation.
	Liam Cremona MIBTP PhD Candidate Liam.cremona@warwick.ac.uk Background: My undergraduate work focussed on clinical and industrial Microbiology before working as a Senior Scientist with the UKHSA focussing on microfluidic Virology. I’ve recently completed my MSc in Bioinformatics with my thesis - Intergenic regions with phenotypic consequences: investigating the role intergenic regions play for AMR transmission in M. abscessus. My current work: My PhD project is focused on metabolic and physiological aspects of spore development.
	Marta Karasek MBio Integrated Master's Candidate Marta.karasek@warwick.ac.uk Background: I am originally from Poland and I started studying biomedical science at the University of Warwick in 2020. My bachelor’s thesis was in synthetic biology, where I investigated the functioning of an MX aptamer conditionally controlled gene expression system and heterogeneity produced by it in vivo in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. My current work: My current research project focuses on characterization of poorly-characterised Bacillus subtilis genes and their role in growth and sporulation.
	Siham Gabow MBio Integrated Master's Candidate Siham.gabow@warwick.ac.uk Background: I am a biomedical science student at the University of Warwick. My undergraduate research project was a systematic review and meta-analysis of how Aspergillus fumigatus infection impacts the respiratory health of people with cystic fibrosis. My current work: My MBio is a joint project between the Rodrigues lab and Holden lab at the University of Warwick. I will be investigating the molecular aspects of the early stages of sporulation using high-resolution fluorescence microscopy approaches.
	Md. Mubarak Hossain Chancellor's PhD Scholar Md-mubarack.hossain@warwick.ac.uk Background: I am a faculty member at Bangladesh Agricultural University and have successfully completed my master's degree in Food Microbiology, with my research focusing on the presence of Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli in the live food distribution system to ensure food safety. In addition to teaching responsibilities, I have been actively engaged in various research projects related to food-borne pathogens My current work: My ongoing research project relates the characterisation of understudied spore-forming pathogens.

Rodrigues Lab Alumni