Dr Ronnie Mooney
AMSPARE, University of West Scotland
Hi, I’m Ronnie, a postdoctoral research fellow from Scotland specialising in microbiology, parasitology and molecular biology. I am currently working at the University of the West of Scotland on the AMSPARE project, monitoring the extent of antimicrobial resistance in India and Scotland.
I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Zoology with a strong emphasis on parasitology in my final year. I was then awarded a Carnegie PhD Scholarship to identify novel drug therapies and understand the development of resistance mechanisms within the opportunistic pathogen Acanthamoeba.
My research interests now bridge biomedical and environmental sciences, investigating the complex interactions between amphizoic amoebae (capable of both parasitic or free-living existence) and the bacterial endosymbionts they possess. Much of my research looks to address the role of these interactions in facilitating the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and how this relationship can influence pathogenicity and detectability.
When I do pull myself away from the lab, I enjoy hiking, playing and watching sports, travelling, and of course being Scottish I’m not averse to a whisky or two!