• United Kingdom

Accepting PhD Students

PhD projects

Experimental evolution to study adaptation in Streptomyces

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the greatest threats to global human health and we need to develop novel approaches to discover new molecules and enhance production of existing molecules. Currently two-thirds of our clinically used antimicrobial drugs are specialised (secondary) metabolites produced by the genus Streptomyces. The traditional process for the development of Streptomyces strains for industrial antibiotic production has been through iterative random mutagenesis followed by the selection of strains with improved production characteristics – this process is undirected and time consuming. The key mutations within these strains, that drive increased industrial performance are often poorly understood and are likely to be the result of cumulative negative effects during multiple rounds of mutation and selection. To address this, we have been using a dual approach to understand evolution of antibiotic production in Streptomyces – a long term evolution experiments of adaptation in Streptomyces and a study of an authentic, industrially improved lineage (forced evolution; FE) of Streptomyces. These studies have shown how adaptation in the LTEE and in the FE results in streamlining of primary metabolism, loss of catabolic breadth and the degradation of competing specialised metabolic pathways. This loss of catabolic capability impacts on growth and yield of antibiotics. Reconditioning of strains with collaterally damaged primary metabolic pathways enabled increased antibiotic titres to be achieved in some industrial strains. Genomics and transcriptomics of evolved strains reveals extensive chromosomal plasticity and transcriptional re-wiring. This project will build on existing studies and attempt to understand the wider role of genetic interactions and how strains may have adapted in culture to enable the process of strain improvement to be accelerated in the future through informed strain engineering.

Personal profile

Personal Statement

Laboratory webpage is here http://paulhoskisson.weebly.com

Research in my group is focussed on the evolution and synthesis of natural products (partricularly antibiotics) and the evolution of the organisms that produce them, using a range of techniques from molecular biology and biochemistry through to mathematical modelling and experimental evolution.

The bacterial genus Streptomyces is the main focus of work in my Research Group due to its industrial importance, being responsible for producing around two thirds of all commercially important antibiotics as well as numerous anti-fungal, anti-helminthic and anti-cancer drugs. 

We also have an interest in evolution of metabolism, evolution of bacterial pathogens, genomics of actinobacteria and the exploitation of amphibian proteins for biotechnology. 

I am currently the Royal Academy of Engineering Research Chair in Engineering Biology at University of Strathclyde. I was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (2021) and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology (FRSB) in 2016.

I am a member of the Microbiology Society, the American Society of Microbiology, The society for Molecular Biology and Evolution, the Biochemical Society, The Royal Society of Biology and British Herpetological Society.

I am a senior editor for Microbial Genomics.

I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

I am interested in the use of Social media for communication of science and you can follow on Bluesky @paulhoskisson.bsky.social

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
  • SDG 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation
  • SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
  • SDG 13 - Climate Action
  • SDG 15 - Life on Land

Keywords

  • Microbiology; biochemistry; molecular biology; Streptomyces; Corynebacterium

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics where Paul Hoskisson is active. These topic labels come from the works of this person. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
  • 1 Similar Profiles

Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years

Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or