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Postdoctoral Fellow
Email leah.smith@otago.ac.nz
Tel +64 3 479 6465

Google Scholar
ORCID

PhD (Microbiology,University of Otago); MS (Biology, University of Massachusetts); BS (Biology, Rhode Island College)

Appointment: 2020

Research interests

  • Bacteriophages
  • Genomics
  • CRISPR-Cas
  • Deep-sequencing
  • Biofilms
  • Gene regulation

Current research

My research focuses on bacterial interactions with mobile genetic elements, including bacterial viruses (phages). My postdoctoral work focuses on elucidating the mechanisms of bacterial CRISPR-Cas defense systems against nucleus-forming jumbo phages. My PhD work investigated the regulation of bacterial defenses, where I developed a high-throughput screen (SorTn-seq) to identify regulatory networks in bacteria.

Using my newly-awarded Marsden Fast-start grant, I aim to apply my research expertise to enhance the efficacy of phage therapy for clinical and environmental applications.

Postgraduate student supervision

PhD

  • Marina Mahler, current
  • Kate Harding, current
  • Natalie Kyte, current

BSc (Hons)

  • Lela Hassan, 2022

Research Funding and Awards

  • 2024: PI on Marsden Fast-Start Grant, Royal Society of New Zealand
  • 2023: PI on BMS Kickstarter Funding, University of Otago
  • 2022: AI on Dean's Bequest Grant, University of Otago
  • 2022: Awarded an International Society for Viruses of Microorganisms (ISVM) Early Career Scientist Grant
  • 2022: Thesis placed on the University of Otago Health Sciences Divisional List of Exceptional Doctoral theses
  • 2019: Awarded a University of Otago Division of Health Sciences Travel Grant
  • 2016: University of Otago Doctoral Scholarship, University of Otago, New Zealand
  • 2015: Chancellor’s Centennial Scholarship. University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, USA
  • 2014: Robert Young Scholarship Award for Excellence in Research. Rhode Island College, USA

Teaching experience

  • MICR461 (University of Otago, NZ)
  • MICR335 (University of Otago, NZ)
  • BIO211 (University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, USA)
  • BIO241 (University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, USA)

Publications

Smith, L. M., Hampton, H. G., Yevstigneyeva, M. S., Mahler, M. S., Paquet, Z. S. M., & Fineran, P. C. (2024). The LysR-type regulator PigU controls CRISPR-based defense against phages and plasmids. Viruses of Microbes (VoM) Scientific Conference. Retrieved from https://www.vom2024.org/ Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Harding, K. R., Malone, L. M., Kyte, N. A. P., Jackson, S. A., Smith, L. M., & Fineran, P. C. (2024). Genome-wide identification of bacterial genes used in nucleus-forming jumbo phage infection. Viruses of Microbes (VoM) Scientific Conference. Retrieved from https://www.vom2024.org/ Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Gardner, P., Coray, D. S., Sibaeva, N., McGimpsey, S., Smith, L., Chen, A., & Fineran, P. (2023). The mutational robustness of RNA and protein. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (NZSBMB) 50th Anniversary Conference. Retrieved from https://www.nzsbmb.org/conference Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Kyte, N., Harding, K., Malone, L., Jackson, S., Smith, L., & Fineran, P. (2023). Unlocking the secrets of jumbo phages: Harnessing Tn-Seq and CRISPRi to reveal bacterial genes involved in phage infection. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (NZSBMB) 50th Anniversary Conference. Retrieved from https://www.nzsbmb.org/conference Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Smith, L. M., Hampton, H. G., Yevstigneyeva, M. S., Mahler, M., Paquet, Z. S. M., & Fineran, P. C. (2023). CRISPR-Cas immunity is repressed by the LysR-type transcriptional regulator PigU. Nucleic Acids Research. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkad1165 Journal - Research Article

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