معرفی
Dr. Leanne Taylor-Smith is an Associate Professor in Eukaryotic Microbiology and Head of Education at the University of Birmingham's School of Biosciences. She specializes in host-pathogen interactions, particularly focusing on fungal pathogens like Cryptococcus neoformans and bacterial pathogens such as Streptococcus agalactiae. Her research employs advanced live-cell imaging to study pathogen behavior within host cells. She holds a MSci (2010), PhD (2014), and PGCHE (2020) from the University of Birmingham, and became a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2023.
Dr. Taylor-Smith has pioneered teaching innovations, including the 'Biotechnique Masterclasses' and served as Biological Sciences Programme Lead (2018–2021) and Deputy Director of Education for the College of Life and Environmental Sciences (2021–2023). Her work spans collaborations with institutions like Oxford and UCL, exploring topics such as induced pluripotent stem cells and HIV-macrophage interactions.
Her research interests include fungal pathogenesis, macrophage responses, and the role of titan cells in Cryptococcus virulence. She has been recognized with the Excellence in Teaching Award (2012) and SFHEA (2023). Her lab focuses on understanding how pathogens manipulate host immune responses and survive intracellularly.
Professional memberships include the Microbiology Society, British Society for Medical Mycology, and Biochemical Society. Her publications span PLoS Pathogens, Journal of Immunology, and Nature Communications, highlighting contributions to fungal and bacterial pathogenesis research.
