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Hire Dr. Vera P.

India

Experienced academic research Molecular microbiologist, clinical infection, repurposing of drugs, antibiotic resistance

Profile Summary

Research Experience Jan, 2019 – July, 2019 Postdoctoral research associate Imperial College London (section of molecular microbiology) Position funded through Wellcome Trust Investigation of Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains that produce reduced levels of c-di-AMP become again sensitive to beta-lactam antibiotics. Research skills • Repurposing of drugs - Extensive literature search and subsequent preliminary experiments were used to develop new protocols for the repurposing of drugs against resistant bacterial infection. • Laboratory techniques - utilised were molecular genetics, WGS and antibiotic susceptibility assays to identify the cellular processes that are controlled by c-di-AMP in re-sensitising MRSA strains to beta-lactam antibiotics. • Designed and supervised projects for Masters students • Weekly group meetings to discuss the data generated with other members of the team Primary author of articles in leading scientific journals and speaker at professional international conferences. Education 2014 – 2018 PhD Imperial College London The characterisation and identification of a novel antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus. • During this project, I identified a previously-unrecognised mechanism of daptomycin resistance (last-resort antibiotic) in Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA strains. • Combated this novel mechanism of resistance, by repurposing the beta-lactam antibiotic oxacillin, which suppressed the resistance mechanism (lipid-shedding) and promoted daptomycin-mediated killing of S. aureus. [Pader st al., 2016 Nature Microbiology] • Determined that a next-generation antibiotic (under phase II clinical trial) promoted daptomycin-mediated killing of S. aureus Research skills • Collaborated and discussed with chemists to develop tailor-made techniques including GC-MS, LC-MS and TLC to investigate the antibiotic bound lipid molecule. • Publication in high impact journals • Knowledge about clinical trial protocols - selection and application of a next-gen antibiotic undergoing phase 2 clinical trial against resistant s. aureus infection • Bio duration of clinical samples- sort, and annotate clinical blood samples based on their phenotype. • Learned and followed the ethics and health and safety regulation processes for the use of clinical samples (DEFRA) • Collaboration with expertises for experiments involving animal model of infection. - Discussed and Designed experiments involving Animal infection model to study the treatment outcomes of repurposed antibiotic based on in vitro statistical data generated using the software Prism. • Ethics, health and safety regulations processes and submission required for animal studies • Managed and supervised projects of 3 BSc and 4 MRes students Scientific Writing skill Publications 1. Pee, J. E. C.&, Pader, V. &, Ledger, EVK.& and Edwards, AM. &, 2019. A FASII inhibitor prevents staphylococcal evasion of daptomycin by inhibiting phospholipid decoy production. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. DOI: 10.1128/AAC.02105-18 2. Sabnis, A.&, Ledger, EVK.&, Pader, V. & and Edwards, AM. &, 2018. Antibiotic interceptors: Creating safe spaces for bacteria. PLoS Pathogen. DOI:10.1371/journal.ppat.1006924 3. Ledger, EVK., Pader, V. and Edwards, AM., 2017. Enterococcus faecalis and pathogenic streptococci inactivate daptomycin by releasing phospholipids. Microbiology-SGM. DOI:10.1099/mic.0.000529 4. Pader, V. and Edwards AM., 2017. Daptomycin: new insights into an antibiotic of last resort. Future Microbiology. Invited editorial. DOI:10.2217/fmb-2017-0034 5. Pader, V., Hakim, S., Painter K, Wigneshweraraj, S., Clarke TB. and Edwards AM., 2016. Staphylococcus aureus inactivates daptomycin by releasing membrane phospholipids. Nature microbiology. DOI:10.1038/nmicrobiol.2016.194 6. Pader, V., James, EH., Painter K, Wigneshweraraj, S. and Edwards AM., 2014. The Agr quorum-sensing system regulates fibronectin binding but not hemolysis in the absence of a functional electron transport chain. Infection and Immunity. DOI 10.1128/IAI.02254-14 7. Pader, V., Nikitorowicz-Buniak, J. Abdissa, A., Adamu, H., Tolosa, T., Gashaw, A. Cutler, S.J., 2012. Rickettsia hoogstraalii in Ethiopian Argas persicus ticks. Ticks & Tick-Borne Diseases. DOI 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2012.10.021 & these authors contributed equally. Communication Skills External presentations Invited Speaker Invited to speak at the 5th Molecular Microbiology and the 4th M4 meeting held at the University of Birmingham, September, 2017. Poster presentations Pader, V., Nikitorowicz-Buniak, J. Abdissa, A., Adamu, H., Tolosa, T., Gashaw, A. Cutler, S.J., “In Situ Rickettsial diagnostics.” headed under CMM/21 was accepted at the Society Of General Microbiology Spring meeting 2011 held at Harrogate, UK. Pader, V., Clarke TB., Painter K, Wigneshweraraj, and Edwards AM., “Characterisation of a cryptic daptomycin resistance mechanism in Staphylococcus aureus.” Oral presentation Abstract titled “Staphylococcus aureus inactivates daptomycin by releasing membrane phospholipids” was accepted at the Staphylococcus Great Britain and Ireland (GBI) Conference September, 2015 held at Reading. Abstract titled “Staphylococcus aureus inactivates daptomycin by releasing membrane phospholipids” was accepted at the Junior Awards for Microbiology Talks July, 2017 held at University of Birmingham. IT/Statistics/ Data analysis skills • Proficient in MS office, Statistical program- Prism graph-pad, bioinformatics- snapgene, bioedit, NGS analysis

Subject Matter Expertise

• ★ Molecular Biology
• ★ Antibiotic Development
• ★ Scientific Animation & Illustration
• ☆ Microbiome Research
• ☆ Microbial Biotechnology
• ☆ Bioinformatics
• ☆ Preclinical Research
• ☆ Infectious Disease
• ☆ Research
• ☆ Literature Search

Services

• Writing
• Research
• Consulting
• Data & AI
• Product Development

Writing Technical Writing

Research Fact Checking, Gray Literature Search, Systematic Literature Review, Secondary Data Collection

Consulting Scientific and Technical Consulting

Data & AI Statistical Analysis, Data Visualization

Product Development Formulation

Work Experience

Post-doctoral research associate in molecular microbiology

Imperial College London Post funded by the Wellcome Trust UK

January 2019 - July 2019

Education

PhD medicine molecular microbiology and antibiotic resistance

Imperial College London

October 2014 - January 2018

Certifications

• Certification details not provided.