David Lea-Smith

Group Leader and lecturer in Microbiology

Biography

I completed my PhD in 2007 at Monash University in Australia, focusing on characterisation of enzymes involved in biosynthesis of the cell wall of important pathogens like Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium leprae. I moved to the University of Edinburgh for a postdoctoral position where I investigated gene therapy strategies for cystic fibrosis treatment. Following this, I moved to the University of Cambridge in 2009, initially to investigate biofuel production using cyanobacteria, although the focus switched to understanding the biochemistry and physiology of these organisms, their role in the environment and uses in biotechnology. I started as a lecturer at UEA in July, 2017, where I am continuing this work.

Selected publications

Baers LL, Breckels LM, Mills LA, Gatto L, Deery MJ, Stevens TJ, Howe CJ*, Lilley KS*, Lea-Smith DJ* (2019). Cyanobacterial proteome mapping reveals distinct compartment organisation and metabolism dispersed throughout the cell. Plant Physiology 181 (4), 1721-1738. * Co-corresponding authors.

Vasudevan R, Gale GAR, Schiavon AA, Puzorjov A, Malin J, Gillespie MD, Vavitsas K, Zulkower V, Wang B, Howe CJ, Lea-Smith DJ, McCormick AJ (2019). CyanoGate: A modular cloning suite for engineering cyanobacteria based on the plant MoClo syntax. Plant Physiology 180, 39-55.

Saar KL, Bombelli P, Lea-Smith DJ, Call T, Aro EM, Muller T, Howe CJ, Knowles, TPJ (2018). Enhancing power density by biophotovoltaics by decoupling storage and power delivery. Nature Energy (3), 75-81.

Lea-Smith DJ*, Ortiz-Suarez ML, Lenn T, Nuernberg DJ, Baers LL, Davey MP, Cotton CAR, Mastroianni M, Bombelli B, Ungerer P, Stevens TJ, Smith AG, Bond PJ, Mullineaux CW, Howe CJ (2016). Hydrocarbons are essential for optimal cell size, division and growth of cyanobacteria. Plant Physiology 172 (3), 1928-1940. *Corresponding author.

Lea-Smith DJ*, Biller SJ, Davey MP, Cotton CAR, Perez Sepulveda BM, Turchyn AV, Scanlan DJ, Smith AG, Chisholm SW, Howe CJ (2015). Major contribution of cyanobacterial alkane production to the ocean hydrocarbon cycle. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 112 (44), 13591-13596. *Corresponding author.

McCormick AJ, Bombelli P, Lea-Smith DJ, Bradley RW, Scott AM, Fisher AC, Smith AG, Howe CJ (2013). Hydrogen production through oxygenic photosynthesis using the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 in a bio-photoelectrolysis cell (BPE) system. Energy & Environmental Science 6 (9), 2682-2690.

Lea-Smith DJ, Ross N, Zori M, Bendall DS, Dennis JS, Scott SA, Smith AG, Howe CJ (2013). Thylakoid terminal oxidases are essential for the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 to survive rapidly changing light intensities. Plant Physiology 162 (1), 484-49.

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