CORE UNIVERSITY
University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a core NBIC partner, with a main focus on addressing critical issues of biofilms and antibiotic resistance as well as biofilms hosts interactions. By leveraging interdisciplinary expertise, the university drives innovative research to address these complex challenges.
Research Areas & Focuses
- Quorum sensing signalling and inhibition in biofilms
- Mechanisms of biofilm formation and dispersal
- Biofilm target identification, drug discovery and delivery.
- High throughput drug screening design and execution.
- Bespoke biofilm models: in vitro, ex-vivo and 3D printed.
- Infection biomarkers.
- Imaging: high throughput confocal, super-resolution, 3D metabolite and nanosensors.
- Machine learning and artificial intelligence for AMR big data analysis
- Polymicrobial biofilm and microbiome interactions with human and plant hosts.
- Mechanisms of biofilm surface interactions
- Antibiofilm polymer design for coatings
- Wastewater re-use: pollutants to products.
- Biological Engineering
University of Nottingham
For enquiries, please contact Miguel Cámara.
Facilities
- Advanced microscopy (SLIM) including High Throughput Confocal, Super-Resolution, Fluorescence microscopy, histology and Light microscopy.
- Nanoscale and Microscale Research Centre (nmRC): Cryo 3D Orbi-SIMS, ToF-SIMS, Integrated Fluid Force High Resolution Confocal Microscopy and Electron Microscopy
- Biodiscovery Institute (BDI) Highly multidisciplinary with state of the art labs and facilities hosting a number of spin offs.
- Automated High throughput screening Robot (Synthetic Biology Research Centre)
- Flow Cytometry Facility with high-speed sterile cell sorters
- Centre for Additive Manufacturing (CfAM)
- Deep Seq: Next Generation Sequencing Facility
- Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre supporting clinical trials
- 3D Bioprinting
- Additive Biofabrication to advance Biofilms research
Researchers
Professor Miguel Cámara (Life Sciences), Co-Director
Professor Kim Hardie (Life Sciences), Co-Director
Gabriel Castrillo (Biosciences)
Jack Bryant (Life Sciences)
John Heep (Life Sciences)
Jonas Emsley (Pharmacy)
Jonathan Aylott (Pharmacy)
Matt Loose (Lifes Sciences)
Michael Stocks (Pharmacy)
Alvaro Mata (Pharmacy/Engineering))
Cameron Alexander (Pharmacy)
Felicity Rose (Pharmacy)
Luisa Martinez-Pomares (Life Sciences)
Morgan Alexander (Pharmacy)
Paul Williams (Life Sciences)
Rachel Gomes (Engineering)
Ricky Wildman (Engineering)
Stephan Heeb (Life Science)
Steve Atkinson (Life Sciences)
Ingrid Dreveny (Pharmacy)
Asma Ahmed (Engineering)
High Content Imaging
The Zeiss Cell Discoverer 7-LSM 900 is installed downstream of a robotic arm and multiplate incubator for efficient high throughput screening. It can deliver fluorescent images from widefield through to super-resolution with acquisition that can be target guided by machine learning. The 3D image acquisition is fast, automated and can be delivered from multiple points in realtime by virtue of the environmental control that covers both a temperature range and anaerobic conditions. Quantification is rapid and multiple sample formats are accommodated as well as cross-correlation with Electron Microscopy in the nmRC. It is housed in biological safety laboratory level 2 condidions for pathogen imaging and has a 20 minute sterilization cycle that can be deployed.
Robotic Platforms
The robotic suite is a custom-made system that consist of two interconnected robotic platforms located in the synthetic biology research centre (SBRC). The robotic system allows for the setup of customized protocols and workflows. It gives a wide range of options for gene assembly, microbial transformation (chemical and HT electroporation), colony plating and picking, transformant library screening, purification of nucleic acid, proteins and analytes, size section of DNA bands, high throughput electrophoresis and screening of compound libraries.
3D OrbiSIMS
A Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer (ToF-SIMS) with hybrid OrbiTrap™ functionality, the ‘3D OrbiSIMS’ is the first of its kind in an academic setting. Based on the prototype at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) the instrument combines the function of the two hybridised components to facilitate an unprecedented level of mass spectral molecular analysis for a range of materials (hard and soft matter, biological cells and tissues).
Managed Compound Library
The University of Nottingham has an established state-of-the-art fully automated and integrated Managed Chemical Compound Collection Facility. The facility provides a screening resource for the identification of chemical starting points as drug leads against drug targets of interest. The diversity of the compounds in the compound library (as evidenced by the low pairwise Tanimoto score), combined with their lead-like characteristics, makes the library an ideal source for primary screening of your drug target.
Collaborative Projects:
Collaborative projects between NBIC and the University of Nottingham aim to translate biofilm and antibiotic resistance research into practical solutions for healthcare and industry.
Impact and Future Directions:
Through this partnership, the University of Nottingham and NBIC are at the forefront of research addressing biofilms and antibiotic resistance, striving for innovative solutions and improved healthcare outcomes.