Dalton Building
Chester Street
M1 5GD
Manchester
United Kingdom

Interests and Expertise

My aim is to advance our fundamental understanding of microbes to enhance human health.
I focus on characterising and understanding the functions of genes from microbes, particularly pathogens, to leverage this knowledge for developing new drugs and biotechnological applications. My approach is multidisciplinary, combining bioinformatics—including comparative genomics and genomic enzymology—with experimental techniques from microbiology, genetics, and biochemistry. This strategy enables me to identify promising targets and decipher the functional roles of genes, enzymes, and transporters that are critical for improving health outcomes.
Because bioinformatics is central to my research, I am committed to advancing these tools and providing support for their effective use. I want to empower other researchers to generate meaningful hypotheses, just as I do.
Having benefited from excellent mentors during my training, I strive to emulate their example as an educator. My goal is to foster intellectual curiosity, deep understanding, and skill development, equipping my students with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed as professionals.

Initial Training and Previous Work

I studied Biology at the Université de Bordeaux, France, specialising in Biochemistry during my Licence and later exploring Plant Biology and Biotechnology during my Master’s degree. I earned my Doctorate after completing my work at the Laboratoire de Biogenèse Membranaire, where I focused on the “Identification and characterization of a lipase expressed during Arabidopsis thaliana reserves hydrolysis.”
Intrigued by the potential of comparative genomics, I joined the Microbiology and Cell Science Department at the University of Florida, USA. There, I contributed to characterising genes involved in B vitamin metabolism and queuosine tRNA modification in plants and microbes until 2016.
To further develop my bioinformatics skills, I became part of the Enzyme Function Initiative team at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology (IGB), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. During this time, I enhanced the capabilities of the Enzyme Function Initiative webtools, provided training to biochemists, and worked on characterising genes from the human gut microbiome.
As a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow at Swansea University Medical School, UK, I led the deCrYPtion project (ID 839116), which aimed to use large-scale comparative genomics to uncover the functions of Mycobacterium cytochrome P450 enzymes. Concurrently, I completed the Teaching in Higher Education Postgraduate Certification programme at Swansea and became a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).
Following this, I worked as a Research Associate at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB), an affiliate of The University of Manchester, until 2023.

Since June 2023, I have been serving as a Lecturer, and since August 2024 as a Senior Lecturer, in Biochemistry in the Department of Life Sciences at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Current functions

I serve as the Module Leader for Biomedical Cell Biology (BCB), a final-year optional module for students in the accredited Biomedical Science program. Additionally, I teach on other modules, including Medical Microbiology, and supervise students in their final-year projects.
After obtaining my certification, I became a Carbon Literacy Champion for the Department of Life Sciences and am part of the team that provides Carbon Literacy training for students.

I act as the bacterial lead for the University’s Genetically Modified Organisms Health and Safety Committee.

I am an Expert Evaluator for the European Comission Horizon Europe programme, and I am a member of the UKRI Talent Peer Review College (PRC).

I am a member of the Microbiology Society since 2019, and I am also a member of the NTM Network UK Basic Science & Microbiology interest group.