Dr Lisa Coulthwaite, Principal Lecturer, School of Healthcare Science at Manchester Metropolitan University, takes a tour of the microbiology labs.
The microbiology laboratories in our School of Healthcare Science support a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes and are home to a vibrant community of researchers and academics.
Manchester Metropolitan University represents one of the highest concentrations of health research excellence in the UK: three years ago, its research in allied health professions and biomedical science was ranked 12th out of all universities by the Times Higher. The university’s thriving healthcare science research underpins teaching and engagement with industry. Students benefit from a strongly interdisciplinary environment in a faculty engaged with the NHS, industry, international partners, its city and region, and government. There are trailblazing specialisms in microbiology, musculoskeletal science, advanced materials and vascular science.
Microbiology at Interfaces is our elite research group and a truly interdisciplinary team encompassing antimicrobials and drug repurposing, microbiomes, biofilms and metagenomics. The group comprises 15 academic staff, three postdoctoral scientists and 16 associates across other disciplines. We also have PhD students and Masters students who are studying by research (as opposed to taught programmes). We work with industry and academics around the world and our research ensures our microbiology teaching is bang up to date.
We are a large school with 1,400 students and our biggest cohort is for biomedical science – both our undergraduate and postgraduate degrees are IBMS accredited.
Medical microbiology is taught at all levels and we have an IBMS-accredited MSc in Medical Microbiology. We focus on the role of microbiology in the diagnosis and treatment of disease and the pathogenic changes that occur as a result of interactions between host and pathogen. Our optional study units are more research-led, covering microbial interfaces in medical and food environments, infection prevention and control, novel and phage-based antimicrobials, and pathogen and phage genomics.
Our laboratory classes are an excellent learning environment for students to consolidate their theoretical understanding and develop technical skills in safe manipulation of microorganisms, performing techniques with accuracy and with correct interpretation.
Our students can undertake a wide range of laboratory research projects from traditional culture-based microbiology to molecular and genomic research. We run live projects in collaboration with local pathology departments and other projects link with current research at the university.
Catrin Austin studied MSc Biomedical Science and is now a second-year PhD student in the School of Healthcare Science. Catrin comments: “One of the things I enjoy most about the university is the sense of community – we have seven different floors of laboratories and they’re all very open to working with each other.”
Our labs are supported by an excellent team of friendly, highly-skilled technical staff, who make running practical classes easy and enjoyable.
I particularly enjoy laboratory teaching in microbiology and it is a great feeling when students have also enjoyed learning and say so at the end of a class.
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