Dr Ines Moura
- Position: Lecturer in Medical Microbiology
- Areas of expertise: Gut microbiota | In vitro models | Clostridioides difficile | biotherapeutics | real-time qPCR | 16S and WMS | antimicrobial resistance
- Email: I.B.Moura@leeds.ac.uk
- Location: Old Medical School, LGI
- Website: ORCID
Profile
I performed my PhD studies at the Italian National Institute of Health (ISS-Italy) investigating mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance in Clostridium difficile as part of a Marie Curie ITN.
I later joined the National Reference Laboratory of Antimicrobial Resistance (INSA, Portugal) where I extended my knowledge in antimicrobial resistance.
In 2016, I joined the Healthcare Associated Infection (HCAI) Research group, lead by Prof Mark Wilcox where I focus on gut microbiome studies, namely by using a scalable in vitro model I co-developed, to replicate the conditons of the human colon and its microbial communities. I use this system to investigate antimicrobial resistance of healthcare pathogens, the effects of antibiotics on the gut microbiome and the efficacy of biotherapeutics in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases.
My current research focus on healthy ageing and how to use nutrition, prebiotics and probiotics to support the gut microbiota during antibitoic treatment.
Learn more about MiGut here.
Responsibilities
- Lecturer in Medical Microbiology
- FMH ECR Representative
- Michael Beverly Innovation Fellow Alumni
Research interests
Since joining the HCAI, I have continuing to work with C. difficile, and extended my research interests to gut microbiome studies. Some of these studies involve the in vitro model of the human colon used in our group to investigate drug induced dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiome and propensity to induce C. difficile infection.
I have hands-on expertise in 16S sequencing, shotgun metagenomics and real-time PCR. This experience supported past and ongoing collaborations with different researchers across the University, and with external partners, such as the University of Oxford and the NHS, to establish how new technologies can be integrated into medical microbiology. I have also collaborated with the UKHSA, supporting the development of the COVID-19 sequencing facility in Leeds.
Ongoing studies include the development of a high-throughput in vitro model of the human colon that can also represent the mucosal environment; and Co-I on a BBSRC project to develop a model of the porcine hindgut, as well as collborations with industry and Leeds researchers to develop disease models of the gut microbiome.
Qualifications
- PhD in Microbiology and Public Health Sciences
- MSc in Genetics
- BSc in Genetics and Biotechnology
Professional memberships
- ESCMID
- SFAM
- Society for Anaerobic Microbiology
- BSAC
- AMI
Student education
Supervisor of undergraduate student projects since 2020/2021.
Contributing lecturer to modules in the School of Medicine and Health and School of Food Science and Nutrition.
Supervised 1 PhD student to completing. Currently supervisor of 2 PhD students.
Research groups and institutes
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's
- Healthcare Associated Infection Research Group.