Photo of Professor Jo Fothergill

Professor Jo Fothergill BSc (Hons), PhD

Professor in Medical Microbiology Clinical Infection, Microbiology & Immunology

Research

Research Interest 1

Persistent bacterial infections are a major cause of human morbidity and mortality and are a substantial economic burden. Understanding how pathogens cause disease and devising novel methods for control and treatment are key issues in the face of rising antibiotic resistance and the limited availability of new drugs.

My main area of interest is focused around Pseudomonas aeruginosa and associated bacteria in chronic infections. There are over 100,000 cystic fibrosis patients worldwide and even more with non-CF bronchiectasis. Infections are often lifelong and highly resistant to treatment.


There are various specific areas we currently aim to address through research:


1. To advance understanding of species diversity during infection using next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies.

2. Modelling multispecies interactions to advance our knowledge of how bacteria interact during infection and the importance of these interactions.

3. Therapeutics.

Research Grants

Phage Therapy for Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria: Overcoming Manufacturing Barriers in the UK

INNOVATION LAUNCHPAD NETWORK+

March 2024 - November 2024

Are yeasts the missing link between the vaginal bacteria and preterm birth?

THE ACADEMY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES (UK)

May 2023 - April 2025

Postal Sputum Testing for Early Detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in CF (POSTED-CF)

ASTHMA AND LUNG UK, CYSTIC FIBROSIS TRUST (UK)

August 2023 - March 2025

Diverse and multi-layered bacterial genome defences in bacteria

BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL

January 2023 - December 2027

An evidence-based preclinical framework development antimicrobial therapeutics cystic fibrosis

CYSTIC FIBROSIS TRUST (UK)

October 2021 - September 2025

Chemical synthesis enabling hit confirmation of screening a macrocycle library against resistant bacteria

ROYAL SOCIETY OF CHEMISTRY (UK)

September 2021 - August 2022

Does CRISPR-Cas imunity limit the efficacy of phage therapy

BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL

February 2021 - January 2024

Bench Fees for NORAH QUSHAYM QUBAYL ALQAHTANI (201370203)

ROYAL EMBASSY OF SAUDI ARABIA CULTURAL BUREAU IN LONDON (UK)

January 2021 - January 2025

Inhalable Aerosol Light Source for Controlling Drug-Resistant Bacterial Lung Infections - Light4Lungs

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

December 2019 - May 2024

Bench Fees for Ayman Algohani

ROYAL EMBASSY OF SAUDI ARABIA CULTURAL BUREAU IN LONDON (UK)

November 2019 - April 2024

Disrupting bacterial signaling pathways to break antibiotic resistance

BRITISH SOCIETY FOR ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY (UK)

October 2018 - September 2019

The role of resistance to host-derived antimicrobials in establishment of chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in children with cystic fibrosis.

BRITISH LUNG FOUNDATION (UK)

September 2016 - February 2018

Exploiting novel technologies to identify respiratory pathogens and characterise bacterial interactions in patients with cystic fibrosis.

MEDICAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION (UK)

February 2017 - January 2021

An in-vitro study of hormone-mediated bacterial adaptation in urinary tract infections.

DR HADWEN TRUST (UK)

July 2015 - August 2015

The role of bacterial and host factors in persistent bacterial infections in complicated urinary tract infections.

MERSEY KIDNEY FIRST (UK)

October 2016 - March 2020

EPSRC Institutional Sponsorship 2016

ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL

July 2016 - March 2017

Discovery of Pseudomonas aeruginosa mutations associated with chronic lung infection in children with CF.

ACTION MEDICAL RESEARCH (UK)

August 2017 - September 2021

Co-habitation and co-operation in a complex world

LEVERHULME TRUST (UK)

April 2012 - March 2015

Clinical Exploitation of Data Produced by the Pseudomonas International Genomics Consortium.

CYSTIC FIBROSIS TRUST (UK)

October 2013 - September 2016

YEAR 1 (part2) Wellcome Trust ISSF Non-Clinical Fellowships

WELLCOME TRUST (UK)

October 2012 - March 2023