Photograph of four researchers, smiling and holding the book "fungal biofilms". The researchers are Aysha, Leonie, Beth and Kelvin.

Last summer the team wrote a chapter for "Fungal Biofilms".

The book has finally arrived. You can read our chapter "Implications of Fungal Biofilms in Microbial Keratitis" - lnkd.in/eXRnjWNb

One to read if you wear contact lenses!

@edinuni-irr.bsky.social @uoe-eid.bsky.social #microsky #idsky

We were pleased to host Sight Research UK and The RS Macdonald Charitable Trust at IRR this week, funders of Dr @bethmills.bsky.social research into #MicrobialKeratitis—a leading cause of global blindness.
Thank you to both funders for their time, interest & ongoing commitment to vision research.

Raising awareness of microbial keratitis at the Edinburgh Science Festival ⚛️ 🔬

Dr Beth Mills, IRR Group Leader, shares insights from her team’s participation in the Edinburgh Science Festival, where they engaged the public with vital research on microbial keratitis.

📰 edin.ac/43h7ww1...

Four IRR researches stadning behind table laden with information sheets and posters.

Wondering how to fill your Easter holiday? Come and learn about corneal infections from our scientists! 👁️

The 'Discover Our Science' drop-in event at National Museum of Scotland is part of #EdSciFest

9-10 April, 10.30am-4.30pm
More information: www.edinburghscience.co.uk/event/discov...

Photograph shows our display at the Edinburgh Science Festival, where we are educating on what microbial keratitis is (an infection of the cornea and leading cause of blindness). The tables show info-graphics, eyes in a jar, contact lenses, microbe culture plates, microscopes, and members of the research team. We are representing the University of Edinburgh.

Photograph shows members of the public interacting with our display. This includes watching a video and guessing how many eyes are in the jar

This week the team are at #EdSciFest @ntlmuseumsscot.bsky.social. Come and say hi, guess how many eye balls are in our jar, and diagnose a 👁️cornea infection (microbial keratitis)... is it bacterial or is it fungal 🧫🔬? We're here Mon-Thurs

@edinuni-irr.bsky.social @uoe-eid.bsky.social #microsky

First Post on blue-sky. We are hiring! Post-doctoral position available in the neuroimmunology of stroke. Please check out link below and share elxw.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...

This is really disheartening for our community. If any USA microbiologists are coming to @microbiologysociety.org #MicroBio25, please find DEI community and events here:

microbiologysociety.org/event/annual...

Plus a specific EDI panel on 31st March

#MicroSky #AcademicSky

Characterising host-pathogen impact of light mediated approaches for treating microbial keratitis at University of Edinburgh on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - Characterising host-pathogen impact of light mediated approaches for treating microbial keratitis at University of Edinburgh, listed on FindAPhD.com

New fully funded PhD position available with @cmstanton.bsky.social and me @edinuni-irr.bsky.social Edinburgh- Are you interested in infections, host-pathogen interactions and immune response in the cornea 👁️🧫?

Find out more here: edin.ac/4h4i0Vl #MicroSky #IDSky

@damiakpan.bsky.social a brilliant advocate for the profession, and brings so much energy as a MicroSoc Champion. Of course, I’m thinking of all the things I wish I’d articulated better, but Akpan is completely engaging and will make it well worth a listen when it airs. #MicroSky #UKRIFLF

Yesterday I had the pleasure of speaking to the @microbiologysociety.org for their podcast with @damiakpan.bsky.social about our mentor/mentee relationship. As ever, Akpan inspired me with his enthusiasm for microbiology, professional growth and building community.

Vacation Studentships Login to apply

The Vacation Studentships are open for applications. The Society offers limited awards for undergraduates to work on microbiological research projects and gives early/mid-career scientists supervision experience. Apply by 20 February.
Learn more:

Great to see The Hindu newspaper reporting on antimicrobial use in agriculture in India, and consequences of driving AMR from a #onehealth perspective.

And we are interested in targeted antimicrobial photodynamic therapy. We have developed and evaluated Gram-positive and pan-microbial aPDT probes with combined imaging capability against biofilm, AMR strains and ex vivo MK models. See our outputs here: edin.ac/4g2hKWm and edin.ac/49pGV2w

Top: Image shows photographs of three eyes with fungal keratitis with classical presentation. Bottom: representative images of fungal filaments stained with KOH, Grams stain and calcofluor white.

We have published a couple of review articles exploring the role of fungi in fungal keratitis (edin.ac/3OMJ0fz), and strengths and limitations of current in vitro and ex vivo models of microbial keratitis (edin.ac/3OJg9IV)

Image shows ex vivo porcine eyes infected with P. aeruginosa and S. aureus, being sampled by a corneal impression membrane. The samples are transferred to a slide, where they have SmartProbes for Fluorescent Gram stain. Microscopy images show that the S. aureus sample fluoresces red, and the P. aeruginosa slides fluoresces green. The control slide shows no fluorescence.

We are interested in improving microbial keratitis diagnosis through:
1. Imaging (think fluorescent Gram stain): edin.ac/46DF2xt & edin.ac/3dXPGTg
2. Lateral flow devices. See our clinical study of the first evaluation of LFD for Aspergillus keratitis here: edin.ac/3RRgkmx
#microsky #IDsky

Corneal Ulcer YouTube video by Aravind Eye Care System

Microbial keratitis (corneal infection) is an ocular emergency and a leading cause of vision and eye loss world wide. Our collaborators #AravindEyeCareSystem have made a brilliant video explaining what MK is and how it is diagnosed and treated: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqxK...