Derek is currently an Advance Queensland Fellow who joined UniSC in mid-2017 as a Senior Research Fellow. Derek is a molecular microbiologist and bioinformatician and is interested in antibiotic resistance, bacterial pathogenesis, molecular epidemiology, genomics and transcriptomics. Derek works closely with several clinically focused collaborators to bring next-generation sequencing technologies to the clinical realm, with a focus on improved treatment and diagnostics of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, particularly those with high morbidity and mortality.
Awards
- Fellow of the Australian Society for Microbiology (FASM), 2018
- Charles Darwin University Vice Chancellor’s Award for Exceptional Performance in Research, 2016
- NHMRC Research Excellent Award, 2013
Selected research grants
| Project name | Funding Body |
| Using metagenomics to improve diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) lung infections | Wishlist - Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Services Study, Education, Research Trust fund Research Grants |
| The Darwin Perspective Melioidosis Study: Years 27-31 | National Health and Medical Research Council |
| More rapid and cost-effective diagnosis of antibiotic-resistant infections | QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland Waste to Biofutures Fund |
| Whole genome sequencing to evaluate within-host diversity of Staphylococcus aureus | Pathology Queensland - Study, Education and Research Committee |
Research areas
- Bioinformatics
- Antibiotic resistance
- Diagnostics
- Microbiology
- Next-generation sequencing
Derek is a Senior Research Fellow who joined USC in mid-2017. Derek is a molecular microbiologist and bioinformatician and is interested in antibiotic resistance, bacterial pathogenesis, molecular epidemiology, genomics and transcriptomics. Derek works closely with several clinically focused collaborators at the Sunshine Coast Health Institute to bring next-generation sequencing technologies to the clinical realm, with a focus on improved treatment and diagnostics of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, particularly those with high morbidity and mortality.