糖心原创

Translational Infection Biology

Our researchers

Our Translational Infection Biology research team is made up of internationally renowned experts with a huge range of experience and specialisms. If you’d like to find out more about them, or how to get in touch, just click on their names below.

James Leigh

Professor of Molecular Bacteriology, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences

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Biography

Professor Leigh has been investigating streptococci of significance to diseases of livestock species since 1987. This work, originally conducted at IAH-Compton was relocated to University of Oxford in 2005 before finally arriving at the newly formed School of Veterinary Medicine & Science at the 糖心原创 in 2007. Professor Leigh's research interests range from investigation of bacterial epidemiology and the development / translation of molecular techniques for bacterial typing to investigation of host pathogen interactions involved in bacterial pathogenesis and studies on protein structure in relation to function. Professor Leigh's research has been strategically focused at the control of disease and has attracted considerable commercial collaboration.

Expertise Summary

Professor Leigh is responsible for the initiation, management and exploitation of research on the molecular basis of infectious disease and host pathogen interaction and pathogen persistence.

Research Summary

Professor Leigh's current research activity is focused on functional genomics of bacteria in relation to infectious disease. This is particularly aimed at diseases caused by Streptococci. With… read more

Recent Publications

  • CHARBONNEAU ARL, FORMAN OP, CAIN AK, NEWLAND G, ROBINSON C, BOURSNELL M, PARKHILL J, LEIGH JA, MASKELL DJ and WALLER AS, 2017. BMC genomics. 18(1), 426
  • G脺NTHER, CZABANSKA A, BAUER I, LEIGH J A and HOLST O, 2016. BMC Veterinary Research. 47,
  • DAVIES PL, LEIGH JA, BRADLEY AJ, ARCHER SC and EMES RD, 2016. J Clin Micro. 54, 68-74
  • RAUCH C, CHERKAOUI M, EGAN S and LEIGH J, 2016. Biochimica et biophysica acta. 1859(2), 282-288

Current Research

Professor Leigh's current research activity is focused on functional genomics of bacteria in relation to infectious disease. This is particularly aimed at diseases caused by Streptococci. With strategic aims of identification of coding and non-coding sequences associated with disease, their functional role in vivo and the consequence of sequence variation in the bacterial population. To aid with the initial stages (gene identification) his research group have developed a simple and rapid genome wide mutation mapping system (PIMMS) that produces similar outputs to Tradis and Tnseq. The output is of value to the pharmaceutical industry in the identification of sub-units for vaccines, targets for new therapies, gene targets for rational attenuation. For academia, it identifies networks of genes (products) for further definition of their role and mechanistic analysis in vitro. He currently holds patents on the exploitation of gene products as vaccines against streptococcal infection and is actively pursuing the development of such products in association with the pharmaceutical industry.

Professor Leigh has an active interest in the epidemiology of bacterial infection and in particular the role of asymptomatic carriage in maintenance and dynamic genetic variation of pathogen populations.

  • CHARBONNEAU ARL, FORMAN OP, CAIN AK, NEWLAND G, ROBINSON C, BOURSNELL M, PARKHILL J, LEIGH JA, MASKELL DJ and WALLER AS, 2017. BMC genomics. 18(1), 426
  • G脺NTHER, CZABANSKA A, BAUER I, LEIGH J A and HOLST O, 2016. BMC Veterinary Research. 47,
  • DAVIES PL, LEIGH JA, BRADLEY AJ, ARCHER SC and EMES RD, 2016. J Clin Micro. 54, 68-74
  • RAUCH C, CHERKAOUI M, EGAN S and LEIGH J, 2016. Biochimica et biophysica acta. 1859(2), 282-288
  • BLANCHARD AM, EGAN SA, EMES RD, WARRY A and LEIGH JA, 2016. Frontiers in microbiology. 7, 1645
  • RAUCH C and LEIGH J, 2015. Biochimica et biophysica acta. 1850, 595-601
  • BLANCHARD AM, LEIGH JA, EGAN SA and EMES RD, 2015. Frontiers in genetics. 6, 139
  • HOSSAIN M, EGAN SA, COFFEY T, WARD PN, WILSON R, LEIGH JA and EMES RD, 2015. BMC genomics. 16, 334
  • PECKHAM RK, BRILL R, FOSTER DS, BOWEN AL, LEIGH JA, COFFEY TJ and FLYNN RJ, 2014. Scientific reports. 4, 5431
  • RUSSELL, C.D., WIDDISON, S., LEIGH, J.A. and COFFEY, T.J., 2012. Veterinary Research. 43(1), 17
  • EGAN, S.A., WARD, P.N., WATSON, M., FIELD, T.R. and LEIGH, J.A., 2012. Microbiology. 158(6), 1581-1592
  • VERNER-JEFFREYS DW, BAKER-AUSTIN C, POND MJ, RIMMER GSE, KERR R, STONE D, GRIFFIN R, WHITE P, STINTON N, DENHAM K, LEIGH J, JONES N, LONGSHAW M and FEIST SW, 2012. Emerging infectious diseases. 18(6), 1006-8
  • CZABA艃SKA A, NEIWERT O, LINDNER B, LEIGH J, HOLST O and DUDA KA, 2012. Carbohydrate research. 361, 200-5
  • SCHUKKEN, YNTE H, G脺NTHER, J, FITZPATRICK, J, FONTAINE, M C, GOETZE, L, HOLST, O, LEIGH, J, PETZL, W, SCHUBERTH, H-J, SIPKA, A, SMITH, D G E, QUESNELL, R, WATTS, J, YANCEY, R, ZERBE, H and GURJAR, A, 2011. Veterinary immunology and immunopathology.
  • CROWLEY, R C, LEIGH, J A, WARD, P N, LAPPIN-SCOTT, H M and BOWLER, L D, 2010. Applied and environmental microbiology.
  • LEIGH JA, EGAN SA, WARD PN, FIELD TR and COFFEY TJ, 2010. Veterinary research. 41(5), 63
  • EGAN, S.A., KURIAN, D., WARD, P.N., HUNT, L. and LEIGH, J.A., 2010. Journal of Proteome Research. 9(2), 1088-1095
  • HOLDEN, M.T.G., HAUSER, H., SANDERS, M., NGO, T.H., CHEREVACH, I., CRONIN, A., GOODHEAD, I., MUNGALL, K., QUAIL, M.A., PRICE, C., RABBINOWITSCH, E., SHARP, S., CROUCHER, N.J. and CHIEU, T.B., 2009. PLoS ONE. 4(7), e6072
  • DENHAM, E L, WARD, P N and LEIGH, J A, 2009. Microbiology. 155(Pt 1), 134-41
  • WARD, P.N., HOLDEN, M.T.G., LEIGH, J.A., LENNARD, N, BIGNELL, A., BARRON, A., CLARK, L., QUAIL, M.A., WOODWARD, J., BARRELL, B.G., EGAN, S.A., FIELD, T.R., MASKELL, D., KEHOE, M., DOWSON, C.G., CHANTER, N., WHATMORE, A.M., BENTLEY, S.D. and PARKHILL, J., 2009. BMC Genomics. 10(1), 54
  • TOMITA, TAKEHIRO, MEEHAN, BRIAN, WONGKATTIYA, NALIN, MALMO, JAKOB, PULLINGER, GILLIAN, LEIGH, JAMES and DEIGHTON, MARGARET, 2008. Identification of Streptococcus uberis multilocus sequence types highly associated with mastitis. Applied and environmental microbiology. 74(1), 114-24
  • WARD, P.N., ABU-MEDIAN, A.-B.A.K. and LEIGH, J.A., 2008. Journal Molecular Biology. 381(3), 734-747
  • DENHAM, E.L., WARD, P.N. and LEIGH, J.A., 2008. Journal of Bacteriology. 190(13), 4641-7
  • PULLINGER, GILLIAN D, COFFEY, TRACEY J, MAIDEN, MARTIN C and LEIGH, JAMES A, 2007. Veterinary Microbiology. 119(2-4), 194-204
  • WILSON, STEPHEN, NORTON, PAM, LEIGH, JAMES and BAILEY, MICHAEL, 2007. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology. 118(1-2), 105-12
  • WILSON, STEPHEN M, NORTON, PAM, HAVERSON, KARIN, LEIGH, JAMES and BAILEY, MICHAEL, 2007. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology. 117(1-2), 116-23
  • LOPEZ-BENAVIDES, M G, WILLIAMSON, J H, PULLINGER, G D, LACY-HULBERT, S J, CURSONS, R T and LEIGH, J A, 2007. Field observations on the variation of Streptococcus uberis populations in a pasture-based dairy farm. Journal of dairy science. 90(12), 5558-66
  • PULLINGER, GILLIAN D, L脫PEZ-BENAVIDES, MARIO, COFFEY, TRACEY J, WILLIAMSON, JOHN H, CURSONS, RAY T, SUMMERS, EMMA, LACY-HULBERT, JANE, MAIDEN, MARTIN C and LEIGH, JAMES A, 2006. Application of Streptococcus uberis multilocus sequence typing: analysis of the population structure detected among environmental and bovine isolates from New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 72(2), 1429-36
  • COFFEY, TRACEY J, PULLINGER, GILLIAN D, URWIN, RACHEL, JOLLEY, KEITH A, WILSON, STEPHEN M, MAIDEN, MARTIN C and LEIGH, JAMES A, 2006. First insights into the evolution of Streptococcus uberis: a multilocus sequence typing scheme that enables investigation of its population biology. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 72(2), 1420-8
  • MCVEY, D SCOTT, SHI, JISHU, LEIGH, JAMES A, ROSEY, EVERETT L, WARD, PHILIP N, FIELD, TERENCE R and YANCEY, ROBERT J, 2005. Identification of multiple linear epitopes of the plasminogen activator A (PauA) of Streptococcus uberis with murine monoclonal antibodies. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology. 104(3-4), 155-62
  • WILSON, STEPHEN, NORTON, PAM, HAVERSON, KARIN, LEIGH, JAMES and BAILEY, MICHAEL, 2005. Development of the palatine tonsil in conventional and germ-free piglets. Developmental and Comparative Immunology. 29(11), 977-87
  • WARD, P.N., FIELD, T.R, ROSEY, E.L., ABU-MEDIAN, A-B., LINCOLN, R.A. and LEIGH, J.A., 2004. Journal of Molecular Biology. 342(4), 1101-1114
  • HILLERTON, J E, LEIGH, J A, WARD, P N and COFFEY, T J, 2004. Streptococcus agalactiae infection in dairy cows. Veterinary Record. 154(21), 671-2
  • JONES, C L, MONAGHAN, P, FIELD, T R, SMITH, A J, WARD, P N and LEIGH, J A, 2004. Journal of Applied Microbiology. 97(1), 149-57
  • WARD, PHILIP N and LEIGH, JAMES A, 2004. Genetic analysis of Streptococcus uberis plasminogen activators. The Indian journal of medical research. 119 Suppl, 136-40
  • LEIGH, JAMES A, WARD, PHILIP N and FIELD, TERRENCE R, 2004. The exploitation of the genome in the search for determinants of virulence in Streptococcus uberis. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology. 100(3-4), 145-9
  • BISHARAT, NAIEL, CROOK, DERRICK W, LEIGH, JAMES, HARDING, ROSALIND M, WARD, PHIL N, COFFEY, TRACEY J, MAIDEN, MARTIN C, PETO, TIM and JONES, NICOLA, 2004. Hyperinvasive neonatal group B streptococcus has arisen from a bovine ancestor. Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 42(5), 2161-7
  • SMITH, A.J., WARD, P.N., FIELD, T.R., JONES, C.L., LINCOLN, R.A. and LEIGH, J.A., 2003. Infection and Immunity. 71(9), 4842-4849
  • FIELD, T.R., WARD, P.N., PEDERSEN, L.H. and LEIGH, J.A., 2003. Infection and Immunity. 71(1), 132-139
  • WARD, PHILIP N, FIELD, TERENCE R, RAPIER, CHRISTOPHER D and LEIGH, JAMES A, 2003. The activation of bovine plasminogen by PauA is not required for virulence of Streptococcus uberis. Infection and Immunity. 71(12), 7193-6
  • TAYLOR, D L, WARD, P N, RAPIER, C D, LEIGH, J A and BOWLER, L D, 2003. Journal of Bacteriology. 185(17), 5210-9
  • KING, SAMANTHA J, LEIGH, JAMES A, HEATH, PETER J, LUQUE, INMACULADA, TARRADAS, CARMEN, DOWSON, CHRISTOPHER G and WHATMORE, ADRIAN M, 2002. Development of a multilocus sequence typing scheme for the pig pathogen Streptococcus suis: identification of virulent clones and potential capsular serotype exchange. Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 40(10), 3671-80
  • WARD, PHILIP N and LEIGH, JAMES A, 2002. Characterization of PauB, a novel broad-spectrum plasminogen activator from Streptococcus uberis. Journal of Bacteriology. 184(1), 119-25
  • SMITH, A J, KITT, A J, WARD, P N and LEIGH, J A, 2002. Journal of Applied Microbiology. 93(4), 631-9
  • LEIGH, J A, 2002. Vaccine. 20(25-26), 3047-8
  • WARD, P.N., FIELD, T.R., DITCHAM, W.G., MAGUIN, E. and LEIGH, J.A., 2001. Infection and Immunity. 69(1), 392-399
  • ALLEN, A G, BOLITHO, S, LINDSAY, H, KHAN, S, BRYANT, C, NORTON, P, WARD, P, LEIGH, J, MORGAN, J, RICHES, H, EASTTY, S and MASKELL, D, 2001. Infection and Immunity. 69(4), 2732-5
  • LEIGH, J A, 2000. Vaccines against bovine mastitis due to Streptococcus uberis current status and future prospects. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. 480, 307-11
  • ROSEY,, LINCOLN,, WARD,, YANCEY, and LEIGH,, 1999. FEMS Microbiology Letters. 180(2), 353
  • LEIGH, J A, 1999. The Veterinary Journal. 157(3), 225-38
  • NORTON, P M, ROLPH, C, WARD, P N, BENTLEY, R W and LEIGH, J A, 1999. FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology. 26(1), 25-35
  • LEIGH, J A, FINCH, J M, FIELD, T R, REAL, N C, WINTER, A, WALTON, A W and HODGKINSON, S M, 1999. Vaccine. 17(7-8), 851-7
  • ROSEY, E L, LINCOLN, R A, WARD, P N, YANCEY, R J and LEIGH, J A, 1999. FEMS Microbiology Letters. 178(1), 27-33
  • LEIGH, J A, HODGKINSON, S M and LINCOLN, R A, 1998. Veterinary Microbiology. 61(1-2), 121-35
  • LINCOLN, R A and LEIGH, J A, 1998. Characterization of the interaction of bovine plasmin with Streptococcus uberis. Journal of Applied Microbiology. 84(6), 1104-10
  • FIELD, T R, NORTON, P M, BLAND, A P and LEIGH, J A, 1997. Changes in bovine neutrophils induced by the capsule of Streptococcus uberis. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. 418, 957-60
  • LINCOLN, R A and LEIGH, J A, 1997. Characterization of a novel plasminogen activator from Streptococcus uberis. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. 418, 643-5
  • LEIGH, J A and LINCOLN, R A, 1997. FEMS Microbiology Letters. 154(1), 123-9
  • NORTON, P M and LEIGH, J A, 1997. Virulence mechanisms of Streptococcus suis. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. 418, 823-5
  • FINCH, J M, WINTER, A, WALTON, A W and LEIGH, J A, 1997. Vaccine. 15(10), 1138-43
  • KITT, A J and LEIGH, J A, 1997. The auxotrophic nature of Streptococcus uberis. The acquisition of essential acids from plasmin derived casein peptides. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. 418, 647-50
  • DITCHAM, W G, LEIGH, J A, BLAND, A P and HILL, A W, 1996. FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology. 14(2-3), 145-50
  • BENTLEY, R W and LEIGH, J A, 1995. FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology. 12(1), 1-7
  • BENTLEY, R W and LEIGH, J A, 1995. Development of PCR-based hybridization protocol for identification of streptococcal species. Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 33(5), 1296-301
  • LEIGH, J A and FIELD, T R, 1994. Streptococcus uberis resists the bactericidal action of bovine neutrophils despite the presence of bound immunoglobulin. Infection and Immunity. 62(5), 1854-9
  • LEIGH, J A, 1994. FEMS Microbiology Letters. 118(1-2), 153-8
  • FINCH, J M, HILL, A W, FIELD, T R and LEIGH, J A, 1994. Local vaccination with killed Streptococcus uberis protects the bovine mammary gland against experimental intramammary challenge with the homologous strain. Infection and Immunity. 62(9), 3599-603
  • HILL, A W, FINCH, J M, FIELD, T R and LEIGH, J A, 1994. FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology. 8(2), 109-17
  • LEIGH, J A, 1993. FEMS Microbiology Letters. 114(1), 67-71
  • HARLAND, N M, LEIGH, J A and COLLINS, M D, 1993. Development of gene probes for the specific identification of Streptococcus uberis and Streptococcus parauberis based upon large subunit rRNA gene sequences. Journal of Applied Bacteriology. 74(5), 526-31
  • BENTLEY, R W, LEIGH, J A and COLLINS, M D, 1993. Development and use of species-specific oligonucleotide probes for differentiation of Streptococcus uberis and Streptococcus parauberis. Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 31(1), 57-60
  • BENTLEY, R W, LEIGH, J A and COLLINS, M D, 1991. International journal of systematic bacteriology. 41(4), 487-94
  • LEIGH, J A and FIELD, T R, 1991. Veterinary research communications. 15(1), 1-6
  • LEIGH, J A, FIELD, T R and WILLIAMS, M R, 1990. Two strains of Streptococcus uberis, of differing ability to cause clinical mastitis, differ in their ability to resist some host defence factors. Research in Veterinary Science. 49(1), 85-7
  • HILL, A W and LEIGH, J A, 1989. Epidemiology and Infection. 103(1), 165-71

Translational Infection Biology

The 糖心原创
School of Veterinary Medicine and Sciences
Sutton Bonington Campus
Nottingham, LE12 5RD

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Associate Professor Sabine Totemeyer


Dr Sharon Egan