James Gurney

Position:  Post Graduate Student
Email:  mrxjg3@nottingham.ac.uk   

About Me

I graduated from the University of Hertfordshire in 2010 with a 2:1 (Hons) in Molecular biology and Genetics with a year in industry. During my year in industry I was able to develop my own research proposal and investigate the use of micro-algae as a sustainable energy source. The work was funded mainly by Brighton University. I have a keen interest in molecular medicine, evolutionary principles, renewable energies and the public understanding of science.

Research interests

Using quorum sensing as a model for kin selection, I am working on determining if bacteria can be demonstrated to have a form of kin discrimination. The chronic infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a cystic fibrosis lung may harbour selection pressure that would enable the divergence of QS signal molecules. If such selection pressures exist, then the outcomes could have implications in the cooperation of the infection agents and parasitic virulence. Having an appreciation of how these groups interact could lead to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis and therefore a greater ability to treat the infection.