Biography
Charlie undertook a bachelor’s degree in microbiology at the University of Leeds where he developed an appreciation for the diverse chemistry possessed by microbes, specifically their ability to synthesise a range of natural products via unusual mechanisms. He was allowed to explore this further under the supervision of Dr Chris Randall where he attempted to characterise novel antimicrobial drug candidates that inhibited the growth of multi-drug resistant pathogens. During this project, Charlie recognised the importance of discovering new antibiotics, but also acknowledged the negative impacts of increasing broad-spectrum antibiotic-use with a focus on microbiome health. He then enrolled on the biochemistry stream of the MRes biosciences degree at University College London to gain a deeper insight into the biomolecular interactions that govern cellular processes. Under the supervision of Professor Ivan Gout, he worked to identify an enzyme that covalently attached Coenzyme A to reactive protein cysteine thiols, as part of a novel redox-regulated antioxidant defence mechanism. Charlie has now joined the Booth group to attempt to manipulate bacterial communities through co-culture with engineered synthetic cells. This project aims to produce a platform to better study the dynamics of complex microbial communities with an overall goal of controlling the animal microbiome in vivo.
Research Interests
Developing therapeutic strategies for microbiome remediation
Booth Research Group 