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Biological and Chemical Sciences

Dr Merve Zeden

BSc, MRes, PhD

Contact Details

Post Doctoral Researcher
E: merve.zeden@universityofgalway.ie
https://www.linkedin.com/in/merve-zeden-aa756884/
Post Doctoral Researcher
E: MERVE.ZEDEN@nuigalway.ie
 
researcher
 

Biography

I am a Postdoctoral Researcher in Prof. James P. O'Gara's lab in the University of Galway, evaluating potential mechanisms behind MRSA beta-lactam resistance and ways to reverse this since January 2020. I completed my PhD in Clinical Microbiology at Imperial College London with Prof. Angelika Gründling. I am interested in Staphylococcus aureus biology, antibiotic resistance, and environmental stress responses, with focus on microbial genetics, bioinformatics, and high throughput methods.I have extensive knowledge of a range of molecular biology techniques, high throughput methods (flow cytometry, whole genome sequencing, etc.) and genetic manipulation of organisms including S. aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. During my career as a researcher, I have been able to perform high impact research with key achievements being my publications in peer-reviewed journals focusing on the requirement of cyclic di-AMP for the growth of S. aureus.

Research Interests

I am interested in Staphylococcus aureus biology, antibiotic resistance, and environmental stress responses, with focus on microbial genetics, bioinformatics, and high throughput methods. I enjoy unraveling the mechanisms behind bacterial infections, and work towards developing strategies alleviating the burden of antibiotic resistant bacterial infections.

Peer Reviewed Journals

  Year Publication
(2022) 'Purine nucleosides interfere with c-di-AMP levels and act as adjuvants to re-sensitise MRSA to ß-lactam antibiotics'
Nolan, A. C.*, Zeden M. S.*#, Campbell, C., Kviatkovski, I., Urwin, L., Corrigan, R. M., Gru¿ndling A., and O¿Gara J. P.# (2022) 'Purine nucleosides interfere with c-di-AMP levels and act as adjuvants to re-sensitise MRSA to ß-lactam antibiotics'. Mbio, [Details]
(2020) 'Identification of the main glutamine and glutamate transporters in Staphylococcus aureus and their impact on c¿di¿AMP production'
Zeden, M. S.*, Kviatkovski*, I., Chittezham, V. T., Fey, P. D., Grundling, A. (2020) 'Identification of the main glutamine and glutamate transporters in Staphylococcus aureus and their impact on c¿di¿AMP production'. Molecular Microbiology, [DOI] [Details]
(2018) 'Cyclic di-adenosine monophosphate (c-di-AMP) is required for osmotic regulation in Staphylococcus aureus but dispensable for viability in anaerobic conditions'
Zeden MS;Schuster CF;Bowman L;Zhong Q;Williams HD;Gründling A; (2018) 'Cyclic di-adenosine monophosphate (c-di-AMP) is required for osmotic regulation in Staphylococcus aureus but dispensable for viability in anaerobic conditions'. Journal Of Biological Chemistry, 293 (9) [DOI] [Details]
(2016) 'New Insights into the Cyclic Di-adenosine Monophosphate (c-di-AMP) Degradation Pathway and the Requirement of the Cyclic Dinucleotide for Acid Stress Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus'
Bowman L;Zeden MS;Schuster CF;Kaever V;Gründling A; (2016) 'New Insights into the Cyclic Di-adenosine Monophosphate (c-di-AMP) Degradation Pathway and the Requirement of the Cyclic Dinucleotide for Acid Stress Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus'. Journal Of Biological Chemistry, 291 (53) [DOI] [Details]
(2020) 'Designer broad-spectrum polyimidazolium antibiotics'
Zhong, W., Shi Z., Mahadevegowda S. H., Liua B., Zhang K., Koh C. H., Ruan L., Chen Y., Zeden M. S., Pee C. J. E., Marimuthu J., De P. P., Ng O. T., Zhu Y. Yonggui Robin Chij, Hammond P. T., Yang L., Y. G., Pethe K., Greenberg P. E., Gru¿ndling, A. and Chan-Park M. B. (2020) 'Designer broad-spectrum polyimidazolium antibiotics'. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, [DOI] [Details]
(2021) 'Exploring amino acid and peptide transporters as therapeutic targets to attenuate virulence and antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus'
Zeden, M. S., Burke O., Vallely M., Fingleton C., O¿Gara J. P. (2021) 'Exploring amino acid and peptide transporters as therapeutic targets to attenuate virulence and antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus'. Plos Pathogens, [DOI] [Details]
(2021) 'Accumulation of Succinyl Coenzyme A Perturbs the Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Succinylome and Is Associated with Increased Susceptibility to Beta-Lactam Antibiotics'
Campbell C., Fingleton C., Zeden M. S., Bueno E., Gallagher L. A., Shinde D., Ahn J., Olson H. M., Fillmore T. L., Adkins J. N., Razvi F., Bayles K. W., Fey P. D., Thomas V. C., Cava F., Clair G. C., O¿Gara, J. P. (2021) 'Accumulation of Succinyl Coenzyme A Perturbs the Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Succinylome and Is Associated with Increased Susceptibility to Beta-Lactam Antibiotics'. Mbio, [DOI] [Details]

Honours and Awards

  Year Title Awarding Body
2022 Health Research Board SS-2022-074 Summer Student Grant Health Research Board
2015 PhD Studentship Medical Research Council

Employment

  Employer Position From / To
NUI Galway Postdoctoral Researcher 01-JAN-20 /

Education

  Year Institution Qualification Subject
2015 Imperial College London Masters of Research (MRes) Biomedical Research (Bacterial Pathogenesis and Infection)
2014 Imperial College London Honours Bachelor Degree (BSc Hons) Microbiology
2020 Imperial College London PhD Clinical Microbiology

Languages

  Language
Turkish
English
French
Italian

Community Engagement

  Title Type From / To
Outreach Imperial Fringe Festival (Bacterial Fingerprinting) /
Outreach Imperial Festival Superbug Zone /

Teaching Interests

I have great enthusiasm in guiding new researchers, supervising students, and teaching the future generations in science. I have studied and done extensive research in the field of Microbiology and enjoy teaching all levels of students in Microbiology.

Current Postgraduate Students (Research)

  Student Degree Type Type
Aaron Nolan Doctorate - Structured PhD (Science) Co-supervisor (1)

Modules Taught

  Term/Year Module Title Module Code Subject / Desc
2021 Host Microbe Interactions MI4101 Signalling lecture
2021 Applications of Biomedical Science BM406 Journal Club tutorial