Amanda Gibson

Amanda Gibson is a Lecturer in Innate Immunology within the Sêr Cymru team at the Centre for Excellence in Bovine Tuberculosis, Department of Life Sciences at Aberystwyth University's Institute of Biological, Environmental, and Rural Sciences (IBERS). She holds a PhD and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and Member of the Royal Society of Biology (MRSB).

Dr. Gibson's research focuses on understanding host-pathogen interactions at the early stages of infection, specifically investigating how M. bovis interacts with the innate immune system of bovine hosts. Her work is supported by a strong background in immunology and specialized training in mycobacteriology. The Centre for Excellence in Bovine Tuberculosis research program she contributes to is structured around three main themes: fundamental understanding of early innate immune events leading to infectious disease; understanding the role of Mycobacterial genetic strain diversity on immune interaction and disease progression; and development of novel paired diagnostics and vaccine technologies.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on bovine immunology, particularly TLR2 signaling pathways, macrophage responses to M. bovis, and species-specific differences in immune recognition. Her work spans molecular characterization of immune receptors, genetic analysis of pathogen virulence factors, and development of novel approaches to study host-pathogen interactions. This research contributes significantly to Sustainable Development Goals related to good health and well-being.

Dr. Gibson currently leads the project 'Persistence of Mycobacterium bovis: Understanding the impact of persistent phenotypes on function' funded by the Society for Applied Microbiology (2022), and serves as Co-Investigator on 'A Novel, Real-Time Tuberculosis Detector for Animals and Humans' funded by UK Research and Innovation (2025-2027). Her collaborative network includes researchers across multiple institutions focusing on tuberculosis and related intracellular pathogens.