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Dr Carina Brehony

B.Sc.,M.Sc.,PhD

Contact Details

Post Doctoral Research Fellowship
E: CARINA.BREHONY@nuigalway.ie
 
researcher

Biography

Carina completed her BSc. in Biotechnology at the National University of Ireland, Galway and went on to Imperial College London for a MSc. in Modern Epidemiology. She completed her PhD in the group of Professor Martin Maiden at the University of Oxford in 2010. The focus of her thesis was determining the diversity and spatiotemporal distribution of Neisseria meningitidis genotypes across 18 Europe countries. She worked for a number of years as a post-doc in the group focussing on population genomics and molecular epidemiology of N. meningitidis. Since October 2015 she has been an Irish Research Council post-doctoral fellow at the Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Ecology (ARME) Group with Professor Martin Cormican and Dr. Dearbháile Morris in NUI, Galway. Her IRC funded project is entitled "WAVE-Examining water associated VTEC and its contribution to human infection in Ireland". Her focus will be:

1) to determine the spatial and temporal incidence of human infection with VTEC using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to identify areas of high incidence and low incidence;

2) using GIS to correlate data on land use, rurality, deprivation with incidence of human infection;

3) examine the extent of contamination of water supplies of households in “hotspots” and “coldspots” to determine the relative importance of water with VTEC to the occurrence of infection;

4) isolate and sequence the whole genome of selected groups of apparently related clinical and environmental isolates of VTEC to determine relatedness, transmission pathways and potentially pathogenicity of particular strains.







Research Interests

Genomics. Infectious disease epidemiology. Surveillance. Microbiology. Population biology.

Peer Reviewed Journals

  Year Publication
(2017) 'Indistinguishable NDM-producing Escherichia coli isolated from recreational waters, sewage, and a clinical specimen in Ireland, 2016 to 2017'
BM Mahon, C Brehony, E McGrath, J Killeen, M Cormican, P Hickey, S Keane, B Hanahoe, A Dolan, D Morris (2017) 'Indistinguishable NDM-producing Escherichia coli isolated from recreational waters, sewage, and a clinical specimen in Ireland, 2016 to 2017'. Eurosurveillance, 22 (15) [Details]
(2016) 'Resolution of a Protracted Serogroup B Meningococcal Outbreak with Whole-Genome Sequencing Shows Interspecies Genetic Transfer'
Mulhall, RM;Brehony, C;O'Connor, L;Meyler, K;Jolley, KA;Bray, J;Bennett, D;Maiden, MCJ;Cunney, R (2016) 'Resolution of a Protracted Serogroup B Meningococcal Outbreak with Whole-Genome Sequencing Shows Interspecies Genetic Transfer'. Journal Of Clinical Microbiology, 54 :2891-2899 [DOI] [Details]
(2016) 'Distribution of Bexsero (R) Antigen Sequence Types (BASTs) in invasive meningococcal disease isolates: Implications for immunisation'
Brehony, C;Rodrigues, CMC;Borrow, R;Smith, A;Cunney, R;Moxon, ER;Maiden, MCJ (2016) 'Distribution of Bexsero (R) Antigen Sequence Types (BASTs) in invasive meningococcal disease isolates: Implications for immunisation'. Vaccine, 34 :4690-4697 [DOI] [Details]
(2015) 'An OMV Vaccine Derived from a Capsular Group B Meningococcus with Constitutive FetA Expression: Preclinical Evaluation of Immunogenicity and Toxicity'
Norheim, G;Sanders, H;Mellesdal, JW;Sundfor, I;Chan, H;Brehony, C;Vipond, C;Dold, C;Care, R;Saleem, M;Maiden, MCJ;Derrick, JP;Feavers, I;Pollard, AJ (2015) 'An OMV Vaccine Derived from a Capsular Group B Meningococcus with Constitutive FetA Expression: Preclinical Evaluation of Immunogenicity and Toxicity'. Plos One, 10 [DOI] [Details]
(2015) 'Genomic epidemiology of age-associated meningococcal lineages in national surveillance: an observational cohort study'
Hill, DMC;Lucidarme, J;Gray, SJ;Newbold, LS;Ure, R;Brehony, C;Harrison, OB;Bray, JE;Jolley, KA;Bratcher, HB;Parkhill, J;Tang, CM;Borrow, R;Maiden, MCJ (2015) 'Genomic epidemiology of age-associated meningococcal lineages in national surveillance: an observational cohort study'. Lancet Infectious Diseases, 15 :1420-1428 [DOI] [Details]
(2015) 'Meningococcal vaccine antigen diversity in global databases'
Brehony, C;Hill, DM;Lucidarme, J;Borrow, R;Maiden, MC (2015) 'Meningococcal vaccine antigen diversity in global databases'. Eurosurveillance, 20 :28-36 [DOI] [Details]
(2015) 'A novel meningococcal outer membrane vesicle vaccine with constitutive expression of FetA: A phase I clinical trial'
Marsay L, Dold C, Green CA, Rollier CS, Norheim G, Sadarangani M, Shanyinde M, Brehony C, Thompson AJ, Sanders H, Chan H, Haworth K, Derrick JP, Feavers IM, Maiden MC, Pollard AJ. (2015) 'A novel meningococcal outer membrane vesicle vaccine with constitutive expression of FetA: A phase I clinical trial'. Journal Of Infection, 71 (3):326-337 [Details]
(2014) 'Implications of Differential Age Distribution of Disease-Associated Meningococcal Lineages for Vaccine Development'
Brehony, C;Trotter, CL;Ramsay, ME;Chandra, M;Jolley, KA;van der Ende, A;Carion, F;Berthelsen, L;Hoffmann, S;Hardardottir, H;Vazquez, JA;Murphy, K;Toropainen, M;Canica, M;Ferreira, E;Diggle, M;Edwards, GF;Taha, MK;Stefanelli, P;Kriz, P;Gray, SJ;Fox, AJ;Jacobsson, S;Claus, H;Vogel, U;Tzanakaki, G;Heuberger, S;Caugant, DA;Frosch, M;Maiden, MCJ (2014) 'Implications of Differential Age Distribution of Disease-Associated Meningococcal Lineages for Vaccine Development'. Clinical And Vaccine Immunology, 21 :847-853 [DOI] [Details]
(2014) 'Microbial molecular markers and epidemiological surveillance in the era of high throughput sequencing: an update from the IMMEM-10 conference'
Brisse, S;Brehony, C;Conceicao, T;Cubero, M;Glasner, C;Le Gouil, M;Renvoise, A;Sheppard, S;Weinert, LA (2014) 'Microbial molecular markers and epidemiological surveillance in the era of high throughput sequencing: an update from the IMMEM-10 conference'. Research In Microbiology, 165 :140-153 [DOI] [Details]
(2014) 'Neisseria Adhesin A Variation and Revised Nomenclature Scheme'
Bambini, S;De Chiara, M;Muzzi, A;Mora, M;Lucidarme, J;Brehony, C;Borrow, R;Masignani, V;Comanducci, M;Maiden, MCJ;Rappuoli, R;Pizza, M;Jolley, KA (2014) 'Neisseria Adhesin A Variation and Revised Nomenclature Scheme'. Clinical And Vaccine Immunology, 21 :966-971 [DOI] [Details]
(2012) 'Ribosomal multilocus sequence typing: universal characterization of bacteria from domain to strain'
Jolley, KA;Bliss, CM;Bennett, JS;Bratcher, HB;Brehony, C;Colles, FM;Wimalarathna, H;Harrison, OB;Sheppard, SK;Cody, AJ;Maiden, MCJ (2012) 'Ribosomal multilocus sequence typing: universal characterization of bacteria from domain to strain'. Microbiology, 158 :1005-1015 [DOI] [Details]
(2012) 'The effect of iron availability on transcription of the Neisseria meningitidis fHbp gene varies among clonal complexes'
Sanders, H;Brehony, C;Maiden, MCJ;Vipond, C;Feavers, IM (2012) 'The effect of iron availability on transcription of the Neisseria meningitidis fHbp gene varies among clonal complexes'. Microbiology, 158 :869-876 [DOI] [Details]
(2011) 'Population structure of the Yersinia pseudotuberculosis complex according to multilocus sequence typing'
Laukkanen-Ninios, R;Didelot, X;Jolley, KA;Morelli, G;Sangal, V;Kristo, P;Brehony, C;Imori, PFM;Fukushima, H;Siitonen, A;Tseneva, G;Voskressenskaya, E;Falcao, JP;Korkeala, H;Maiden, MCJ;Mazzoni, C;Carniel, E;Skurnik, M;Achtman, M (2011) 'Population structure of the Yersinia pseudotuberculosis complex according to multilocus sequence typing'. Environmental Microbiology, 13 :3114-3127 [DOI] [Details]
(2009) 'Variation of the factor H-binding protein of Neisseria meningitidis'
Brehony C, Wilson DJ, Maiden MC. (2009) 'Variation of the factor H-binding protein of Neisseria meningitidis'. Microbiology, 155 [Details]
(2007) 'Multilocus sequence typing for global surveillance of meningococcal disease'
Brehony C, Jolley KA, Maiden MC. (2007) 'Multilocus sequence typing for global surveillance of meningococcal disease'. Fems Microbiology Reviews, 31 (1):15-26 [Details]
(2007) 'Molecular typing of meningococci: recommendations for target choice and nomenclature'
Jolley KA, Brehony C, Maiden MC. (2007) 'Molecular typing of meningococci: recommendations for target choice and nomenclature'. Fems Microbiology Reviews, 31 (1):89-96 [Details]
(2007) 'A surveillance network for meningococcal disease in Europe'
Trotter CL, Chandra M, Cano R, Larrauri A, Ramsay ME, Brehony C, Jolley KA, Maiden MC, Heuberger S, Frosch M. (2007) 'A surveillance network for meningococcal disease in Europe'. Fems Microbiology Reviews, 31 (1):27-36 [Details]

Book Chapters

  Year Publication
(2014) 'The Genus Neisseria'
Julia S. Bennett, Holly B. Bratcher, Carina Brehony, Odile B. Harrison, Martin C. J. Maiden (2014) 'The Genus Neisseria' In: The Prokaryotes - Alphaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria. Berlin Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag. [Details]

Honours and Awards

  Year Title Awarding Body
2015 Irish Research Council Post Doctoral Fellowship Irish Research Council

Professional Associations

  Association Function From / To
Fellow of Higher Education Academy UK Teaching Fellow 01-JAN-14 /

Employment

  Employer Position From / To
University of Oxford Post-doc 12-MAY-10 / 30-SEP-15

Education

  Year Institution Qualification Subject
2010 University of Oxford PhD Molecular Epidemiology
2002 Imperial College London Msc Modern Epidemiology
2000 National University of Ireland, Galway BSc (Hons) Biotechnology

Community Engagement

  Title Type From / To
Outreach Galway STEM Festival 21-NOV-16 /
Outreach British Science Association Oxford Committee Member 01-FEB-12 / 30-SEP-15
Outreach University of Oxford, Exeter/Lincoln College, Pathways Access Day 24-JUN-15 /
Outreach School DNA workshops, Natural History Museum, University of Oxford 01-MAY-12 /
Outreach UNIQ Summer School, University of Oxford 01-JUN-12 /

Other Activities

  Description

College Advisor for five graduate students, Kellogg College, University of Oxford, 2013 to 2015. Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, post-graduate mentor. Member of academic PhD, University of Oxford, student committee 2014/2015 academic year. Supervisor for 2nd year undergraduate (BA in Biological Sciences students) eight week summer projects, University of Oxford, 2009, 2011 and 2014. Advising on project design, teaching lab methods, supervising lab work and project write up. Demonstrated and marked practical books for 1st year Microorganisms and second year Biology of Disease undergraduate (BA in Biological Sciences) laboratory practicals, University of Oxford, 2007-2011. Supervisor for 3rd year BA Biological Sciences, University of Oxford, student Course Assignment (Oral presentation), Trinity 2014. Marking of 1st year undergraduate Cells and Genes ‘Collections’ (mock exam) papers, University of Oxford, 2010.

Modules Taught

  Term/Year Module Title Module Code Subject / Desc
2015-2017 SK320: Infectious Disease and Public Health Open University
2015-2016 Lecture: Introduction to Bioinformatics 2nd year Bachelors in Medicine NUI, Galway
2009-2016 Wellcome Trust Advanced Course: Molecular Approaches to Clinical Microbiology in Africa Malawi, Kenya, Gambia
2006-2017 Wellcome Trust Advanced Course: Genomics and Clinical Microbiology Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK
2013-2015 Infection and Immunity tutorials University of Oxford, BA in Biological Sciences

Internal Collaborators

  Name Description of Collaboration
Dr John Cullinan

External Collaborators

  Name Organisation / Institute Country Description of Collaboration
Prof Martin Maiden University of Oxford UNITED KINGDOM
Dr Robert Mulhall Meninigitis Reference Lab, Temple Street Children's Hospital, Dublin IRELAND
Dr Claire Jenkins Public Health England UNITED KINGDOM