Who are the people behind the Molecular Diagnostic Unit?
A group photo
Working in the lab
Dr Chris Helps BSc(Hons) PhD
Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Molecular Diagnostic Unit
Chris graduated in 1989 with a first in Biochemistry from the University of Bristol. This was followed by a 3 year Wellcome Trust funded PhD and a 2 year Wellcome Trust funded fellowship, also in the Department of Biochemistry, University of Bristol. He moved to the Department of Clinical Veterinary Science in 1995 as a post-doctoral researcher and was promoted to Research Fellow in 2001. He has over 18 years’ molecular biology experience and has published over 80 scientific papers. In 2007 he was promoted to Senior Research Fellow. His research interests have focused on the use of novel molecular techniques for the detection and quantification of feline infectious organisms, quantification of feline and canine cytokine mRNA in various disease states, detection of nucleotide polymorphisms causing feline and canine disease, and detection and quantification of food spoilage clostridia. He was awarded the BSAVA Amoroso Award in 2008 for “his major contribution to the development of PCR assays for the diagnosis of feline infectious diseases”.
Chris heads the Molecular Diagnostic Unit and is responsible for the research and development of new QPCR diagnostic assays.
Dr Séverine Tasker BSc BVSc(Hons) PhD DSAM
DipECVIM-CA PGCert(HE) MRCVS
Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Medicine - RCVS Specialist in Feline Medicine and European Specialist in Small Animal Internal Medicine
Séverine graduated from the University of Bristol in 1994 and spent over a year working for the PDSA before moving to the University of Edinburgh to complete a Feline Advisory Bureau Residency in Feline Medicine. She then moved back to the University of Bristol where she completed a PhD investigating feline haemoplasma infection. Séverine is still at Bristol University where she currently contributes to a feline medicine referral service in the Feline Centre and is actively involved in research. She was awarded the BSAVA Woodrow Award in 2008 for “outstanding contributions in the field of small animal veterinary medicine”. Her main clinical interests are feline infectious diseases and haematological disorders. Her research interests include the pathogenesis and molecular diagnosis of infectious diseases, particularly haemoplasma infections, and feline anaemia and haemostatic disorders.
Professor Tim Gruffydd-Jones BVetMed PhD DipECVIM MRCVS
Professor of Feline Medicine
Tim graduated from the Royal Veterinary College, London in 1973 and spent 18 months in practice before moving to Bristol University as the Feline Advisory Bureau Scholar. As a Wellcome Trust Scholar he gained a PhD on reproduction in cats in 1982. He became a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and was appointed to a Chair in Feline Medicine in 1998. He was the first RCVS registered specialist in Feline Medicine. Tim has received the BSAVA Woodrow Award, the ESFM International award for “outstanding contributions to feline medicine” and the AHT WAG award for “scientific achievement”. He is interested in all aspects of feline medicine, but particularly infectious diseases, reproductive problems and paediatrics. He has a longstanding interest in pedigree cats and has worked closely with various breed clubs and individual breeders. This interest has included genetic and breed related health problems and recently he has been involved in setting up genetic tests and breed screening programmes. Tim is President of the Abyssinian Cat Club, Bengal Cat Club and Oriental Cat Association and Vice President of the Burmese Cat Club. He was chairman of FAB for many years and is currently deputy chairman of Cats Protection.
Dr Kostas Papasouliotis DVM PhD DipRCPath DipECVCP MRCVS
Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Clinical Pathology
Kostas graduated from the University of Thessaloniki, Greece in 1989 and after a period in first opinion small animal practice completed a PhD in Feline Gastroenterology at the Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol. He spent five more years at Bristol, first as the Waltham Resident in Feline Gastroenterology (two years) and then as a Resident in Clinical Pathology (three years). He is a European veterinary specialist and Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Clinical Pathology at the University of Bristol, where he is the academic lead of the Diagnostic Laboratories.
Mrs Kathy Egan
Senior virology/PCR technician
Kathy has over 30 years’ experience working in diagnostic bacteriology and virology laboratories. She also has international experience of laboratory work having spent 9 years as a bio-medical hospital technician in Ontario and British Columbia, Canada. Since 2000 Kathy has been involved in running the QPCR assays offered by the Molecular Diagnostic Unit. Over this time she has gained considerable expertise in running molecular diagnostic assays.
Mrs Pam Howard BSc
Senior virology/PCR technician
Pam graduated from the University of London in 1974 with a degree in Zoology. She has undertaken research in the area of virology and has over 30 years’ experience of working in a diagnostic virology laboratory. Since 2000 Pam has been involved in running the QPCR assays offered by the Molecular Diagnostic Unit. Over this time she has gained considerable expertise in running molecular diagnostic assays.
Dr Sarinder Day BSc PhD
Senior PCR technician
Sarinder graduated in Applied Biology in 1989 from Nottingham Trent University. This was followed by a 1 year postgraduate molecular biology training and research program at the University of Leicester. Her first appointment was as a clinical scientist for the National Blood Service (NBS) and Department of Virology, University Hospital, Nottingham where she was involved in the development of RT-PCR based HCV assays for blood donors. She moved to Bristol in 1993 where she worked on molecular diagnostics in the field of Histocompatibility and Immunology for 14 years. After a 1 year Research Associate post in the Department of Transplantation Sciences, University of Bristol she was appointed as a senior clinical scientist at NHSBT and became a registered member of the Health Professionals Council. Sarinder completed a PhD in 2000 on the development and application of allelic genotyping of HLA Class I and related genes, at the University of Bristol. She made a major contribution to the successful implementation of a national HLA allelic typing service for the benefit of stem cell transplant patients. Sarinder joined the Molecular Diagnostic Unit, LVS in September 2008. She is involved with both routine service provision and the development of new QPCR assays. She is also involved with research projects related to veterinary infections and disease.
Further information