Newcastle University

Background

BSc, University of Sheffield, UK
PhD University of Sheffield, UK
1989-1995. Lecturer in University College Dublin
1995-2000. Lecturer in Adelaide University, Australia
1999-2000 Visiting Research Associate, University of Liverpool
2000- present. Lecturer in School of Biology, University of Newcastle upon Tyne. Senior lecturer from 2005.

Research Interests

My main research interests are in the area of applied and environmental microbiology.

Current Research interests :

1. Microbial/pollutant interactions : I am interested in such interactions from a variety of angles.

a) Interestingly, pollutants that kill or inhibit microbes may have important applications in the fresh produce industry as alternatives to more traditional organic pesticides. It is estimated that up to 30% of fresh produce (fruit, vegetables etc) can be lost due to microbial spoilage and I am working with plant scientists to develop novel methods (with a focus on ozone) to reduce this spoilage. The work has resulted a University start up company (biofresh ltd : with Prof Jerry Barnes, School of Biology) that is applying results of the research commercially. I am also intersted in how ozone affects the growth of microbes (particularly fungi).

b) the use of microbes to remediate contaminated environments (bioremediation). My main research interests in bioremediation at present are microbial based bioremediation of sandy soils and the interactions of plants and microbes for phytoremediation of metal contaminated soil.

c) the effects of pollutants on microbes in the environment. Microbes have essential environmental functions and I'm interested in studying the effects of pollution on microbial diversity and function.

Postgraduate Supervision

Current postgraduates :

Hakima Althalb : Bioremediation of oil contaminated sandy soils. In collaboration with the Libyan Petroleum Research Institute, Tripoli, Libya.

James Clapp: Pollutant exposure biomarkers in birds. In collaboration with Dr. R. Bevan (Newcastle)

Phattanawan Pronmin : Phytoremediation of metal contaminated soil. Co-supervised with Dr. Anne Borland (Newcastle)

 Joao Fernandes : Rapid nucleic acid based methods to detect E. coli in environmental samples.

Previous students in Newcastle:

Louise Pease : NERC CASE award with Astra Zeneca. Toxicogenomics of yeast. Co-supervised by Ian Head (Newcastle), Simon Avery (University of Nottingham) and Jason Snape (Astra Zeneca). Completed PhD in January 2011.

Zoe Keatinge : NERC funded student. Development of novel methods to assess the bioavailability of contaminants in soil
Collaboration with Professor Faith Williams and Dr. Elaine Mutch, Medical School, University of Newcastle. Completed PhD 2006

Chris Malkin : NERC funded student. Microbial spoilage of fresh produce. Collaboration with Dr. Jerry Barnes, University of Newcastle. Completed 2008

Nikos Tsortzakis : Greek government funded PhD student. Microbial spoilage of produce. Collaboration with Dr. Jerry Barnes and Dr. Anne Borland, University of Newcastle. Completed 2006

Eva Tallentire : Industry funded PhD student : Novel methods to decontaminate fresh food produce. Co-supervised with Dr. Jerry Barnes. Completed 2007

Elisabeth Clare Lowe : Main supervisor is Clive Butler (University of Exeter. BBSRC studentship on Microbial diversity of selenate reducers in soil. Completed 2008.

Esteem Indicators

Member of SETAC UK Council (2003-2006)
Invited on Editorial Board of Journal of Environmental Sciences (China)
Co founder of BioFresh Ltd
Co-founder of Geneius Laboratories Ltd.
Organised SETAC UK conference in Newcastle Sept 2005.
Council member of the British Mycological Society : 2007 to present.

Funding

Research : I have been involved in approximately £1 million of external funding from a variety of sources including UK research councils (BBSRC, NERC and EPSRC), industry and the EC (EC Asia-Link award).

Examples of funding received :

BBSRC funding (2003-2005). Bioavailability of benzo(a)pyrene in soil
Collaboration with CEFAS, UK and University of Aberdeen

BBSRC studentship in collaboration with Dr. Clive Butler, University of Exeter. Does the diversity of selenate reducers in soil affect selenium availability. Sept 2004- Sept 2007.

KTP projects :

1. Potential commercial applications of ozone. Collaboration with Prof J. Barnes (Newcastle) and JLA Ltd, Ripponden. 2006-2008

2. Commercial uses of ozone in the food industry. Collaboration with Prof J. Barnes and Mack Multiples Ltd. 2006-2008

BBSRC China Partnership Award : £24,900 from 2004-2008

Industrial : the companies I am involved with (biofresh ltd and Geneius Ltd) have raised approximately £1 million in funding

Industrial Relevance

Co-founder of BioFresh Ltd with Prof. Jerry Barnes : a new start up company started to commercialise research findings on use of ozone to reduce microbial spoilage. See : www.bio-fresh.co.uk

Co-founder of Geneius Laboratories Ltd : a company using DNA analysis to 1) accurately identify microbes from food and environmental samples and 2) detect genetically manipulated organisms in food. For further details see : www.geneiuslabs.com

Projects

• Improvement of pineapple (Ananas comosus L.) plant growth and reduced cadmium toxicity by cadmium-resistant bacteria
  Project Leader(s): Phatthanawan Promnim
• Optimization and Validation of a Quantitative PCR Method for enumeration, and viability of E. coli strains in different environmental samples.
  Project Leader(s): Joao Fernandes
• Use of gaseous ozone to prevent microbial post-harvest spoilage and reduce pesticide residue levels
  Project Leader(s): Shreya Wani

Undergraduate Teaching

Stage 1 : Contributor to BIO1004 (Microbiology) and BIO1008 (tutorials)
Stage 2 : Contributor to BIO2017 (Microbiology 2) and ACE 2041 (Food Microbiology)
Stage 3 : Contributor to BIO3007 : Pollution of Air, Water and Soil
Stage 3 : Module leader for BIO3020 : Bioremediation
Supervise several undergraduate research projects per year

Postgraduate Teaching

Degree Programme Director for MSc Industrial and Commercial Biotechnology
Module leader for BIO8010 : Bioremediation
Supervise several MSc research projects per year

• Antony-Babu S, Singleton I. Effects of ozone exposure on the xerophilic fungus, Eurotium amstelodami IS-SAB-01, isolated from naan bread. International Journal of Food Microbiology 2011, 144(3), 331-336.
• Tzortzakis N, Singleton I, Barnes J. Deployment of low-level ozone-enrichment for the preservation of chilled fresh produce. Postharvest Biology and Technology 2007, 43(2), 261-270.
• Rimmer DL, Vizard CG, Pless-Mulloli T, Singleton I, Air VS, Keatinge ZAF. Metal contamination of urban soils in the vicinity of a municipal waste incinerator: One source among many. Science of the Total Environment 2006, 356(1-3), 207-216.
• Tzortzakis N, Borland A, Singleton I, Barnes J. Impact of atmospheric ozone-enrichment on quality-related attributes of tomato fruit. Postharvest Biology and Technology 2007, 45(3), 317-325.
• O'Mahony MM, Dobson ADW, Barnes JD, Singleton I. The use of ozone in the remediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contaminated soil. Chemosphere 2006, 63(2), 307-314.
• Singleton I, Owens G, Ferguson VK, McLaughlin MJ, Reid RJ, Smith FA. Determination of NTA and EDTA and Speciation of Their Metal Complexes in Aqueous Solution by Capillary Electrophoresis. Environmental Science and Technology 2000, 34(5), 885-891.
• Clapp JB, Bevan R, Singleton I. Avian Urine: Its Potential as a Non-Invasive Biomonitor of Environmental Metal Exposure in Birds. Water, Air and Soil Pollution 2012, (epub ahead of print).
• Sweet MJ, Chesher A, Singleton I. Metal based nanoparticles; size, function and areas for advancement in applied microbiology. In: Gadd, G, ed. Advances in Applied Microbiology. Academic Press, 2012. In Press.
• Singleton I, Mutch E. The toxicity of silver nanoparticles to soil. Environmental Pollution 2012. In Preparation.
• Tzortzakis N, Taybi T, Roberts R, Singleton I, Borland A, Barnes J. Low-level atmospheric ozone enrichment induces latent protection against Botrytis cinerea in tomato. Postharvest Biology and Technology 2011, 61(2-3), 152.
• Tzortzakis N, Taybi T, Roberts R, Singleton I, Borland A, Barnes J. Low-level atmospheric ozone exposure induces protection against Botrytis cinerea with down-regulation of ethylene-, jasmonate- and pathogenesis-related genes in tomato fruit. Postharvest Biology and Technology 2011, 61(2-3), 152-159.
• Sweet MJ, Singleton I. Silver Nanoparticles: A Microbial Perspective. In: Laskin AI; Sariaslani S; Gadd GM, ed. Advances in Applied Microbiology 2011. Burlington: Elsevier Inc, 2011, pp.115-133.
• Tzortzakis N, Singleton I, Barnes JD. Impact of low-level atmospheric ozone-enrichment on black spot and anthracnose rot of tomato fruit . Postharvest Biology and Technology 2008, 47(1), 1-9.