Bacteriology Methods for the Study of Infectious Diseases

Bacteriology Methods for the Study of Infectious Diseases provides knowledge, understanding and experience of contemporary, robust methodologies for studies into the pathogenicity and virulence of human/animal bacterial pathogens. This book presents contemporary, yet widely utilized methodologies, for the study of pathogenicity and virulence in bacterial pathogens of human and/or animal origin. Protocols are clearly outlined, with lists of required equipment and reagents, alongside underpinning theory. This text will provide undergraduate and postgraduate students with practical guidance for dissertation projects with protocols for individual project ideas that can be developed further, hence a starting point for additional literature searches is also provided.

• Helps users research dissertations and interdisciplinary research projects
• Presents a valuable resource that enables researchers from diverse backgrounds to undertake research within the field of infectious diseases
• Summarizes protocols that give a fundamental start to research, but are highly adaptable or can be built upon and integrated into other methodologies
• Provides knowledge, understanding and experience of contemporary, robust methodologies for studies into the pathogenicity and virulence of human/animal bacterial pathogens

Rowena Jenkins, PhD, is currently a medical writer at Health Economics and Outcomes Research Ltd, UK. Prior to this she served as lecturer in Microbiology and Infectious Disease in the College of Medicine at Swansea University, UK. Her research team are focused on the effect of novel antimicrobial agents on pathogenic bacteria found in clinical infections, particularly chronic infections such as those seen in diabetic foot ulcers and cystic fibrosis lungs infection, and the impact on the microbiome within those conditions. Dr. Jenkins also has an interest in the potential for natural antimicrobial agents to improve the efficacy of conventional antibiotics against antibiotic resistant bacteria and biofilms. Dr. Jenkins serves as a section editor for the Journal of Medical Microbiology, and has co-authored two books with Elsevier, including the first edition of "Understanding PCR".

Sarah Maddocks, PhD, is a lecturer in Microbiology at Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK. Her research focuses on understanding the interactions between pathogens and their host during the infection process. The overarching aim of these studies is to understand how pathogens utilise or disrupt host processes and to explore and exploit novel ways of impairing these host-pathogen interactions to facilitate clearance of infection. Dr. Maddocks’ research also includes biofilm and co-culture models, genomic and molecular analysis of gene expression to prove clinically relevant hypotheses.