Leadership team and working groups

Mark leads a research group at the Quadram Institute studying the molecular mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, with a focus on understanding how, where, when and why bacteria evolve antibiotic resistance.

He is particularly interested in bacterial biofilms and investigates how bacteria adapt to antimicrobial pressure within a biofilm. The aim is to use this knowledge to prevent or eradicate microbial infection and develop new treatments and eradication options.

Before joining the Quadram Institute, he led a research group at the University of Birmingham, established during a BBSRC David Phillips fellowship studying the evolution of biocide-antibiotic cross resistance.

He has published over 120 articles relating to antimicrobials and has acted as an editor for the Journals of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy and Medical Microbiology as well as PLOS ONE.

Sam is a science communicator with extensive experience of managing research and public engagement projects. He has a PhD in chemistry from the University of East Anglia where he studied the electric bacterium Shewanella oneidensis MR-1.

Following his PhD, Sam worked in several project coordination and engagement roles, mostly recently as a Public Engagement Officer at the Earlham Institute and a Pint of Science City Coordinator, before joining the Quadram Institute to support the Centre for Microbial Interactions.

Sam’s interest in science communication began during his PhD where he shared his research through public talks, blogs, videos, festival stands, social media and radio. He’s also passionate about justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in science, as well as providing training opportunities for researchers to maximise the impact of their work.