AMI Webinar: connecting, inspiring and advocating for LGBTQIA+ researchers in microbiology

Clare Taylor

Head of Culture & Inclusion for School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University

I am Head of Culture & Inclusion for School of Applied Sciences at Edinburgh Napier University, and a Senior Lecturer in Medical Microbiology with research interests in intracellular bacteria, infection control, and equality, diversity, and inclusion. I am delighted to be chairing this webinar! 

Rowan Casey

PhD Student, Cardiff University

Rowan Casey (they/them) is a PhD student at Cardiff University’s School of Medicine in the Humphreys Lab. Their research investigates immunometabolism in the context of viral infections, with a particular interest on T cell and natural killer cell activation. Currently, they are working with chronic kidney disease patients, categorising mechanisms that pre-meditate patients to develop viraemia after transplantation. In this research, they have central interest of applying both wet and dry lab techniques, predominately utilising flow cytometry and supercomputer analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing data. Rowan is heavily involved in the Microbiology Society, being a member of the ‘Queer in Microbiology’ working group; sitting on its EDI panel, the Members Panel, and being elected to the Virus Division and Early Career forum committee.

Dottie Dothard

PhD Candidate, UC San Diego

Very few studies tackle a key gap in gender-inclusive health: the impact of hormone replacement therapies for gender-diverse individuals on microbiomes throughout the body. Marisol "Dottie" Dothard (PhD Candidate at UC San Diego, lab of Jack Gilbert, PhD) aims to present a short summary of this body of literature to highlight key findings, research groups, and future directions in this field. 

Nicholas Farmer

Race Equality Lead, Medical Research Council

Nicholas Farmer (he/they) is the Race Equality Lead for the Medical Research Council. His work focuses on improving the underrepresentation of ethnic minorities within MRC's grant portfolio and workforce. He is based in Cambridge at the MRC's Laboratory of Molecular Biology. 

Bruno Francesco de Oliveira

Assistant Professor of Bacteriology, Fluminense Federal University

Dr Bruno Francesco de Oliveira (he/him/his) is an Assistant Professor of Bacteriology in the Department of Microbiology and Parasitology at the Fluminense Federal University (Niterói, Brazil). He earned a bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences from the Federal University of Goiás and a Ph.D. in Sciences (Microbiology) from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, with a stay at the University College Cork (Cork, Ireland). As a marine microbiologist and bacterial genomicist, his lab focuses on the diversity, genomics and biotechnology of prokaryotic microbiomes associated with marine holobionts, particularly the macroalgae host.

Bruno has been engaged with several initiatives willing to change the scenario and celebrate LGBTQ+ microbiologists, including the "Queer in Microbiology" Working Group in the Microbiology Society and, in particular, the Pride in Microbiology Network. 

Dr Landon Getz

Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Toronto

Dr. Landon J. Getz (He/Him) is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Biochemistry at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. Dr. Getz earned his bachelor’s and PhD degrees at Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS in the laboratory of Dr. Nikhil Thomas studying Vibrio parahaemolyticus host-pathogen interactions and pathogenomics. He joined the laboratory of Dr. Karen Maxwell in 2022 to study the same organism, however, turning to the host-pathogen interactions of bacteria and their cognate viruses, bacteriophages. Dr. Getz's work now focuses on how Vibrio spp. defend themselves from bacteriophage infection, with a particular focus on DNA-targeting enzymes. He has a keen interest in how science and the pursuit of knowledge interacts and intersects with our lives. As such, Dr. Getz has been an advocate for 2SLGBTQIA+ people in STEM since his undergraduate studies, having first founded Queer Atlantic Canadian STEM, a local ad-hoc group focusing and highlighting the voices of Queer and Trans folks in STEM in Atlantic Canada, followed by the founding of Pride in Microbiology along with co-founders Dr Bruno Francesco de Oliveira and Dr. Edel Perez-Lopez.

Dukas Jurėnas

Assistant Professor, Université Libre de Bruxelles

Dukas (he/him/his) is an assistant professor at Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium) and co-head of Laboratory of Bacterial Genetics and Physiology. Throughout his career from student to PI, Dukas applied “don’t ask – don’t tell” politics. Weighing the benefits and drawbacks of being stealth about trans-identity, he probes the situation of LGBTQ+ from the inside. Trying to find the correct balance of nevertheless being accessible and useful for the community, Dukas engages in personal discussions and professional networks promoting emotional comfort and equal rights in science. 

Dr Rebee Penrice-Randall

Post Doctoral Research Associate, University of Liverpool

Dr Rebee Penrice-Randal (she/they) is a Post Doctoral Research Associate at the University of Liverpool in the Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Systems Biology in the Emmott Laboratory. They earned a bachelor’s degree in Physiology from the University of Liverpool, a Master of International Public Health from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, and a PhD in Virology from the University of Liverpool. Rebee’s research utilises RNA sequencing and computational methods to ask questions about viral diseases, including Ebola, MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 and other seasonal coronaviruses. Rebee is a member of the “Queer in Micro” working group within the Microbiology society. They also celebrate queer joy as an events photographer outside of the research space. 

Dr Edel Pérez-López

Associate Professor, Université Laval

Dr. Edel Pérez-López is an Associate Professor at Université Laval, specializing in plant pathology and sustainable agriculture. In addition to his scientific expertise, Dr. Pérez-López is deeply committed to making academia and microbiology more inclusive and welcoming for the LGBTQ+ community. In this panel, he will share how his advocacy and vocal support for inclusivity have transformed his lab into a safe haven for queer scientists, positively impacting their lives and careers in the process.

Drew Sinclair

Graphic Harverster

Drew is a softly spoken man whose heart often buzzes with the excitement of pollen-covered bees, and whose mind occasionally receives thoughts as resplendent as the symmetry in butterfly wings. He inhales and exhales and knows all else will follow, it is this way of being that has allowed Drew in his last several journeys around the Sun to become experienced in many forms of creativity.  

Graphic Harvesting is a brilliant method for collecting information in a visual way and sharing it with a group. Drew with his partner Chadney create great visuals that help people to better understand the key points of a conversation, workshop or meeting.