معرفی
Dr. Claire Turner is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Sheffield's School of Biosciences and serves as a co-director of the Florey Institute of Infection. She leads the research theme on Pathogen biology, antimicrobial resistance and diagnostics, contributing to the Institute's mission of understanding infectious disease at every level of human interaction to improve health outcomes globally.
Dr. Turner's research program is dedicated to unraveling the complex mechanisms that drive upsurges in disease caused by Streptococcus pyogenes (also known as Group A Streptococcus or Strep A). She employs a multi-faceted approach including whole genome sequencing, epidemiology & clinical analysis, and phenotypic work to investigate bacterial success in causing disease. A unique strength of her research lies in the development and application of 3D tissue-engineered models of human tonsil and human skin, which provide physiologically relevant platforms to study pathogen-host interactions.
Her laboratory actively investigates clinical isolates collected from both the UK and The Gambia, West Africa, allowing examination of how different host and environmental factors influence S. pyogenes adaptation and success. While her primary focus is on S. pyogenes, she also maintains interests in other streptococcal species and collaborates with researchers working on bacterial pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridioides difficile.
Dr. Turner has secured significant funding for her research, including:
- Wellcome Trust Career Development Fellowship (2024-present)
- Royal Society/Wellcome Trust Sir Henry Dale Research Fellowship (2017-2024)
She leads a research group comprising postdoctoral researchers, research technicians, and PhD students, with ongoing projects examining Strep A immunity, pathogenesis, and epidemiology. Her work with collaborators in The Gambia represents an equitable research partnership focused on building local capacity while addressing high-burden infectious disease problems in low-resource settings. Dr. Turner's research has direct implications for vaccine development and public health interventions targeting Strep A infections globally.
