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Biography

I am Suleman Irfan current PhD candidate at School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, UNSW. I did M.Phil. in discipline of Microbiology from Institute of Microbiology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan in 2019. I have vast experience of working in pharmaceutical sector of Pakistan as a Microbiologist in quality control department. In 2021, I have had opportunity to work in multinational company named Unilever Pakistan Limited as QA Microbiologist and remained there more than 3 years. In 2023, I have been working in The Superior University Lahore as a Lecturer. Along with, I have published 6 articles including research papers and review articles in quality journals in the field of bacteriology, antimicrobial resistance and virology. In 2023, I have received UIPA from University of New South Wales Sydney and then start my doctoral degree in 2024 under the supervision of Prof Fiona Stapleton and Prof Mark Willcox.

Research Title

Ability of bacteriophages to control microbial keratitis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Supervisors

Scientia Prof Fiona Stapleton and Prof Mark Willcox

Research Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the leading causes (at least 70%) of bacterial eye infections such as keratitis. P. aeruginosa exploit their virulence genes and antibiotic-resistant genes to survive and defend themselves against host mechanisms. An outbreak of keratitis in 2022-23 in USA caused by highly antibiotic resistant P. aeruginosa contaminated eye drops resulted in four deaths, another four patients having their infected eyes removed, and 14 patients with vision loss. However, the causative strains were susceptible to bacteriophages (bacterial viruses; phages; () offering a new treatment option. Although phages have been used successfully to treat P. aeruginosa keratitis in rabbits, horses, and mice, these have been ad hoc uses with no detailed research on spectrum of activity of phages, design of broad spectrum cocktails, optimization of delivery systems, effectiveness, safety and optimal dosing, and examinations of their effect in combination with antibiotics. Therefore, my study aims to examine the receptors used by phages to infect P. aeruginosa, design a phage cocktail that uses phages of different receptor types, determine whether resistance can occur, and develop a delivery system that can be used for the treatment of P. aeruginosa keratitis in a mouse model, in absence and presence of antibiotics.