Microbiology

Research Interests

Research interests and expertise

• Molecular Microbiology, particularly in issues involving Food Safety
• Gastrointestinal phase of Listeria monocytogenes
• Bacteriocins (applied and fundamental aspects)
• Pharmabiotics (bioactives in gut health)
• Mycobacterium paratuberculosis, Enterobacter sakazakii

Research Overview



Our group participates in both the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC), a multidisciplinary research centre focusing on the role of gut microbiota in health and disease and the National Functional Food Research Centre, a multi-Institutional Centre engaged in identifying bioactive components for use in functional foods. Our main interests are in infectious disease, particularly in defining the mechanisms of virulence of foodborne pathogens and in developing strategies to prevent and limit the consequences of microbial infections in the gastrointestinal tract. We are also interested in the role of bacteriocins as agents to limit the growth of bacteria in food or in the human gut.