Dr Thamarai Janganan

Key research areas:

-Antimicrobial resistance-Multi-drug efflux Pumps

-Cell signalling

-Bacterial spores (Clostridium)

-Genotypic and Phenotypic characterisation of community-acquiredMRSA

Thamarai's research focuses on the molecular mechanisms contributing to antimicrobial resistance inGram-negative bacteria, aiming at elucidating the mechanism of how Gram-negative bacteria expel antimicrobial compounds using theResistance-Nodulation & Cell-Division (RND) & Multidrug And ToxinExtrusion Family (MATE) multidrug efflux pumps. His work extensively characterisedthe MtrCDE efflux system from N. gonorrhoeae. With the knowledge andunderstanding of RND transporters, they aim to characterise a MATE transporter from the Gram-negative organism Campylobactercoli. His long-term research trajectory will be toinvestigate the interaction of RND and MATE transporters and their role in biofilm formation.

Recent invitedconference talks:

-An international virtualconference on ‘Pumping Antibiotics’ 03/2023

-An international virtualconference on ‘Bacterial Honeycombs’ 03/2022

-An international virtualconference on ‘Sustainable Biotechnology’ 03/2021

-Delivered an invited talkfor Antibiotics Discovery Accelerator network (ABX), UK conference on‘Neglected MATE efflux pumps in Campylobacter’ 12/ 2020

-Research seminar talk on‘Bacterial spores’ at the University of Bedfordshire iBEST research institute12/2019 

-Research seminar on‘Structure and function of tripartite Multi-drug transporters’- Madurai KamarajUniversity 08/ 2017

-Research seminar on ‘2Dcrystallization of membrane proteins’ Department of Life Sciences, ImperialCollege London, UK, 01/2016

-Conference on ‘Thearchitecture of the exosporium basal layer of Clostridial spores’ at ImagineLife Symposium, University of Sheffield, UK, 06/2016

-Conference on‘Characterisation of MtrCDE multi-drug efflux pumps from Neisseriagonorrhoeae, BSAC conference held at Birmingham, UK, 11/2013

Programme Leadership:

Thamarai is the Programme Leader for MScBiomedical Science (Medical Microbiology) and BSc Applied Biomedical Science. He collaborates with external clinical placement providers to support Applied Biomedical Science students' IBMS training Portfolio, such as Health Service Laboratories (HSL), The Doctors Laboratory (TDL), Health Care Laboratories (HCA) and NHS BT. He also chairs the Employer/ IBMS Trainers Liaison group meeting to share feedback on the placement experience.

Modules taught:

-BMS4417 Infectious agents,BMS4427, Human infectious diseases, BMS4437, Control of Infectious Diseases andBMS 4447 Diagnosis of Infectious diseases and Safety for MSc Medical MedicalMicrobiology.

-BMS3346 MedicalMicrobiology for 3rd-year Biomedical Science Programme

-BMS 2145 Infection andImmunity for 2nd year Biomedical Science programme.

Curriculum Development:

Developed a number ofmodules and teaching materials for microbiology-related modules for UG and MScprogrammes. 

Actively involved in a number of Programme revalidation and re-accreditation events at various HEIs.