Jon Marles-Wright’s CV

Research Positions

  • 2016-present Senior Lecturer in Microbial Biotechnology, School of Biology, Newcastle University
  • 2012 – 2016: Chancellor’s Fellow, Edinburgh University. Understanding the molecular architecture of metabolic compartments in bacteria. Development of research initiated during Faculty Research Fellowship, exploring potential of synthetic biology. Further training in electron microscopy methods. Greater engagement with open science.
  • 2010 – 2012: Faculty Research Fellowship, Newcastle University. Metabolic compartmentalisation in Clostridium difficile. First steps to independence. Building on my interests in multi-protein complexes in bacteria, their role in disease, and their potential uses as platforms in synthetic biology and biotechnology. Developing interest in open science and public engagement, become STEM Ambassador.
  • 2005 – 2010: Post-doctoral Research Associate, Structural Biology Laboratory, Newcastle University. Stress responses of Bacillus subtilis. Looking into the structural basis for the perception of environmental stress by a multi-protein signalling complex. Training in electron microscopy, biophysical analysis, and microbiology. Other projects on Gram-positive cell-wall biosynthesis, carbohydrate degradation, bacterial RNA synthesis, and barnacle settlement cues.

Education

  • 2001 – 2005: D. Phil., Structural biology, Oriel College, Oxford University. Doctoral work on structural immunology of TNF and T-Cell receptor/ligand interactions and structure based ligand design. Training in X-ray crystallography, structural genomics, protein/ligand interactions, and immunology.
  • 1998 – 2001: MA, Natural sciences (Biochemistry),King’s College, Cambridge University. Develop interest in structural biology from working on Heme proteins with a supervisor who previously worked with Max Perutz.

INDEPENDENT RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS

  • 2012 – 2016: Chancellor’s Fellow, University of Edinburgh
  • 2010 – 2012: Faculty Research Fellow, Newcastle University

RESEARCH GRANTS AS PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

  • MRC HEIF: Cupid: Development of optimized heterologous metalloprotein expression in Escherichia coli (01/01/2018 – 30/04/2018, Value: £40k).
  • SynbiCITE: Project grant: BioPixel: Producing optically active protein-based materials for camouflage applications. (01/09/17, Value: £100k).
  • BBSRC New Investigator award: Understanding iron acquisition within a bacterial iron-megastore (01/09/16, Value: £594k).
  • Royal Society Research Grant: Understanding enzyme encapsulation in Rhodospirillum rubrum bacterial nanocompartments. £15k (01/03/14 – 28/02/15).

RESEARCH GRANTS AS CO-INVESTIGATOR

  • BBSRC ALERT ’17: Cells to Molecules: Structural EM at Newcastle University. PI: Prof. Martin Noble (01/05/2018 – 30/04/2019, Value: £545k).
  • BBSRC: The activation mechanism of the Bacillus subtilis stressosome signalling hub. PI: Prof. Rick Lewis (01/12/2008 – 30/04/2012, Value: £428k).

OTHER AWARDS

  • Designer Biology Symposium grant, Office for Naval Research Global (July 2019, Value: £10k).
  • SAgE EDI fund: Investigating and implementing conference childcare (April – October 2019).
  • FAST Travel grant – Awarded to Dr Ani Paloyan (July 2019).
  • FEBS Short term fellowship – Awarded to Dr Ani Paloyan (April 2019).
  • BBSRC/Wellcome Trust/Biochemical Society/Society of General Microbiology iGEM funding. £30k Total Team Instructor (01/06/14 – present).
  • BBSRC Sparking Impact award: A proof of concept study to test an encapsulation method for protecting enzymes used in industrial processes. £20k, Co I (6/1/14 – 3/10/14).