About
Dr. Dan Foulkes is a postdoctoral researcher based within the Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences (ILCaMS), working interdisciplinarily across the Departments of Biochemistry and Eye and Vision Sciences. His research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence and developing innovative tools to study bacterial pathogenesis and host-pathogen interactions.
Dan completed his PhD with Professor Patrick Eyers, discovering the first small-molecule modulators of the cancer-associated pseudokinase TRIB2. He later joined Professors Kaye and Fernig to investigate the P. aeruginosa cytotoxin ExoU, translating fundamental biochemical discoveries into in vivo corneal infection models through collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic. He also developed an improved ex vivo porcine corneal infection model to study bacterial virulence and assess topical therapeutics.
Dan is also co-inventor of FLEX-tag, a patented affinity tag technology designed to enhance the purification of challenging proteins across multiple expression systems, with applications in both academic and industrial biotechnology.