I wish to understand how animals and their microbiome communicate throughout life to maintain homeostasis. To probe such interactions, I study C. elegans and its adult gut microbiota under challenging conditions (infection, neurodegenerative diseases, stress, ageing). Combining genome-wide phenotyping screens, RNAseq and in chip time-lapse imaging, I aim to map the genetic network that governs worm gut-bacteria interactions (BBSRC: BB/S017127/1). In parallel, I also study the regulation of abrupt death in C. elegans in a bid to identify interventions that can halt or delay tissue decay and organismal death (Wellcome Trust: 214076/Z/18/Z). Lastly, I develop and apply microfludics and microfabricated devices for the quantitative study of cancer development and progression in cell and tissue culture models (NWCR).
I can welcome PhD and MSc by Research students interested in studying:
- the spatiotemporal dynamics of gut host-microbiota interactions using a combination of advanced genomic, spectrophotometric and on-chip live-imaging microscopy techniques in the model organism C. elegans.
- the dynamics of bacterial biofilm regulation in vivo in the model organism C. elegans.
- the neuronal regulation of organismal death in C. elegans using advanced imaging of tissue-specific genetically-encoded calcium and pH reporters.
- Autophagy and proteasome regulation in C. elegans
- the role of intercellular variability in cancer progression using advanced live microscopy imaging and automated analysis techniques (in collaboration with Dr. Richard Mort).
Contact and send your CV by email to a.benedetto@lancaster.ac.uk if interested!
BIOL100 - 1st year tutoring
BIOL114 - Biotechnology
BIOL231 - 2nd year tutoring
BIOL300 - 3rd year tutoring
BIOL364 - Biology of Ageing (Module organiser)
BIOL383 - Innovations in Biosciences (Module organiser)
BIOL387/389/390 - 3rd year lab project supervisor
BIOL400 - 4th year tutoring
BIOL461 - Fundamental Research Skills
BIOL466/469/470 - Msc/Msci lab project supervisor
SSM2 - Special Study Module for 2nd year medical students (Convenor)
UG/PG Biomedical and further study career adviser
2019 - NWCR Equipment Round. £50,000 (+£56,000 LU match-funding). Spinning Disc Confocal Microscope for superfast multichannel live imaging. Joint PIs Mort, R, Benedetto, A.
2019 - North West Cancer Research Development Fund. £15, 030. Investigating the thermosensitivity of cancer cell division dynamics: toward cancer thermotherapies? Joint PIs: Mort, R, Benedetto, A, Fielding, A.
2019 - Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council £741,000 (+£20,000 LU match-funding). Integrated multiomics of host-bacterium interactions during C. elegans gut infections. PI Benedetto A.
2018 - Wellcome Trust Seed Award in Sciences. £100,000 (+£11,000 LU match-funding). Neuromodulation of death in C. elegans. PI Benedetto A.
2018 - NWCR Capital Equiment Fund. £18,000 (+18,000 LU match-funding). A microfluidic temperature control platform for cancer biomedicine. PI Benedetto A.
