Dr Lara Barnes

Senior Lecturer

contact:
Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences
Moulsecoomb
Brighton
BN2 4GJ

Telephone: +44 (0)1273 643918

Email: l.barnes@brighton.ac.uk

Research Interest

• The study of bacterial adhesion to surfaces and subsequent biofilm formation on abiotic surfaces and the factors that can influence this process
• Development of bacterial biofilm models to allow for testing of antimicrobial compounds
• The exploitation of bacteriophages as an alternative treatment to antibiotics for recalcitrant bacterial infections
• The use of activated carbon adsorbents for the removal and immobilisation of microbial species from the aqueous phase

Grants and Funding

• 2004 Royal Academy of Engineering International Travel Grant
• 2008 Monolithic Adsorbent Columns for Extracorporeal Medical Devices and Bioseparations, MONACO-EXTRA (FP7); THE PEOPLE PROGRAME Industry-Academia Partnerships and Pathways

Scholarly Activity

Postdoctoral Research Supervision

Dr. Ian Cooper, Glaxo-Smithkline Funded Post Doctoral Fellow 2008-2009.  Working on a project entitled: The retention and release of zinc by novel aqueous carbopol polymers.

PhD Supervision

Gemma Keegan.  2004-2007.  Antimicrobial bioadhesive polymer complexes for the oral cavity.  (Funded by Glaxo-Smithkline)

MRes Supervision

Oladayo Adenuga. 2007-2008. Development of an in vitro model for oral biofilm studies.  (Supported by Glaxo-Smithkline)

Committee Membership

Member: University of Brighton Area Examination Board for Biology and Biomedical Sciences
Member: University of Brighton Biology and Biomedical Sciences Divisional Board
Member: University of Brighton Biology and Biomedical Sciences Course Board
Member: University of Brighton Course Board BSc Pharmaceutical and Chemical Sciences
Master of Pharmacy, BSc Pharmacological Sciences, PGDip Pharmacy (OSPAP), BSc Analytical Chemistry with Business
Member: University of Brighton Course Examination Board for Master of Pharmacy with Honours Stages 1 and 2
Member: University of Brighton Mitigating Circumstances Committee

Current PhD Students

Charlotte Hendon-Dunn.  2005-present.  Bacteriophages as a potential treatment for Pseudomonas aeruginosa mediated chest infections in cystic fibrosis patients (Funded by a University of Brighton PhD Studentship).

Society Memberships

• Member of the American Society for Microbiology
• Member of the Society for Applied Microbiology

Fellowships

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Teaching

• Module leader for BY243, BY251 and PYM01 (click for more information on the modules)
• Year tutor, Level 2 MPharm

Current Interests

Bacteriophages as a potential treatment for Pseudomonas aeruginosa mediated chest infections in cystic fibrosis patients

We are becoming increasingly aware of the problems associated with the emergence of bacteria which are resistant to a range of antibiotics and the scale of this problem has necessitated research into alternative forms of therapy with which to combat bacterial infection.  Cystic fibrosis (CF) patients suffer from chronic respiratory infections caused by the organism Pseudomonas aeruginosa.  Such infections are notoriously recalcitrant to treatment with antibiotics and are associated with a poor patient prognosis.  Recurrent infections can lead to premature death through respiratory failure1.  There is growing interest in the use of bacteriophages for the treatment of a range of bacterial infections and a number of trials have shown promise in this area2.    Bacteriophages are viruses (Figure 1) which infect only bacterial cells causing cell lysis and consequent death, while leaving mammalian cells unharmed.

Image coming

We are currently investigating the use of bacteriophages as potential therapeutic candidates for pseudomonal CF infection.  The aims of the work are a) to isolate bacteriophages which are lytic towards Ps. aeruginosa, b) to investigate the interactions between human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells and the infecting bacterium, c) to study the immunogenic response of HBE cells to the presence of bacteriophage and d) to determine the efficacy of lytic phage action towards Ps. aeruginosa grown in co-culture with HBE cells.  This work will provide vital information to support the development of phage-based therapeutics.

1 Koch, C. and Hoiby, N. (1993).  Pathogenesis of cystic fibrosis.  Lancet  341(8852): 1065-1069.
2 Hanlon, G.W.  (2007)  Bacteriophages: an appraisal of their role in the treatment of bacterial infections.  International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents 30: 118-128.

 

Research Publications