1. Philippa Strong, PhD
57 Sir John Newsom Way, Welwyn Garden City, Herts, AL7 4FJ, United Kingdom
Mobile: 07769 716677, Email pippa.strong@talk21.com, Nationality: British
Molecular microbiologist with wide experience in academia, government and industry
science. Significant knowledge on the culture of anaerobic bacteria, genetic manipulation
and protein purification, as well as fluorescence microscopy.
Technical Skills
 Expression and purification of proteins
 Western blots
 Tissue culture
 ELISA
 Fluorescence and confocal microscopy
 Live cell imaging
 Flow cytometry
 PCR
 Cloning
 Sequencing
 Bioinformatics
 Generation of mutants (gram negative
and gram positive)
 Southern blots
 Bacterial-lettuce adhesion studies
 Amoebal-bacterial co-culture studies
 Galleria mellonella infection
 C. difficile spore purification
 Single domain antibody generation
 Phage display library panning
 Bacterial lyophilisation
 Bacterial isolation from human fecal
samples
 Growth on syngas (including CO)
Culture of
 Yersinia pseudotuberculosis
 Campylobacter jejuni
 Listeria monocytogenes
 Escherichia coli (EPEC)
 Clostridium difficile (vegetative and
spores)
 Acetogenic bacteria
 Human fecal bacteria
Employment history:
Zuvasyntha: Molecular Microbiologist: May 2015 - present
Utilising acetogenic bacteria to produce novel chemicals
This project involved optimising growth of acetogenic bacteria on syngas, as well as genetic
manipulation to allow novel chemicals to be produced by these bacteria. I strengthened my
biochemistry knowledge particularly in metabolic pathways, for example the production of
1,3,BDO. I worked closely as part of a team to deliver to tight deadlines.
GT Biologics: Microbiologist: June 2014 - November 2014
Development of novel biotherapeutics
This project involved characterising biotherapeutic Thetanix as well as identifying novel
anaerobic bacteria with potential clinical benefits, with the aim of testing in clinical trials.

2. National Research Council of Canada: Post Doctoral Research Associate: January
2011 - December 2013
Investigation of Clostridium difficile surface antigens
This project involved the characterisation of spore surface biomarkers, analysis of flagellar
glycosylation and vaccine candidate development, as well as phage display antibody identification
and single domain antibody production. Collaborated with other groups to produce publication worthy
images by fluorescence microscopy.
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine: Research Assistant / PhD Student:
June 2004 - December 2010
Thesis title - Identification and characterisation of novel virulence determinants in Yersinia
pseudotuberculosis, which are naturally de-selected in Yersinia pestis.
This project covered the functional analysis of several putative virulence factors focusing on
characterising a putative intimin and invasin orthologue. This required a wide range of techniques
from cloning and mutagenesis, protein expression and purification, to cell based assays such as
invasion adhesion assays, and confocal microscopy.
Biotracer
This project involved the characterisation of Campylobacter jejuni strains throughout the food
processing chain, to determine strain to strain variation in survival and virulence.
Animal Health Trust: Research Assistant April 2003 - June 2004
Development of phage display antibodies to canine interleukin-2.
This project involved cloning and expressing canine interleukin-2, to screena phage library for specific
antibodies, as well as developing assays to confirm binding affinity and specificity.
Other Experience
I have experience in guest lecturing to university level students at both University of Ottawa
and Carleton University, as well as taking part in the evaluation of student poster displays. I
have taught techniques to fellow researchers as well as MSc students, and supervised both
MSc students and work experience pupils on visits to the laboratory. I presented my results
at international meetings as part of the EU funded Biotracer project, as well as at the CSM
annual meeting in Ottawa, and have routinely presented my research at research group
meetings. I was also involved in setting up a coagulation patient database. At the NRC I was
in charge of maintaining the fluorescence microscopy facility, including training users. My
industrial positions have given me experience in interviewing, working to tight deadlines, and
communicating well as part of a team to achieve the best results possible.
Education
2005 - 2010 London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine - PhD in
Microbiology (part-time)
1999 - 2002 Durham University - BSc. (Hons) in Biology (2:1)
1997 - 1999 The Sixth Form College, Colchester - A Level
Biology (A), Geology (A), Chemistry (A), General Studies (A)
1992 - 1997 St Mary’s School, Colchester – 8 GCSE’s (7 A grade, 1 B)

3. Publications
 Faulds-Pain, A., Twine, S., Vinogradov, E., Strong, P.C.R., Dell. A., Buckley, A.M., Douce,
G.R., Valiente, E., Logan, S.M. & Wren, B. (2014) The post-translational modification of
the Clostridium difficile flagellin affects motility, cell surface properties and virulence. Mol
Microbiol. 94 (2), 272
 Strong, P.C.R., Fulton, K.M., Aubry, A., Foote, S., Twine, S.M. & Logan, S.M. (2014)
Identification and characterisation of glycoproteins on the spore surface of Clostridium
difficile. Journal of Bacteriology. 196 (14), 2627
 Cox, A.D., St. Michael, F., Aubry, A., Cairns, C., Strong, P.C.R., Hayes, A.C. & Logan,
S.M. (2013) Investigating the candidacy of a lipoteichoic acid-based glycoconjugate as a
vaccine to combat Clostridium difficile infection. Glycoconjugate journal. 30(9), 843
 Riazi, A.M., Strong, P.C.R., Coleman, R., Chen, W., Hirama, T., van Faassen, H., Henry,
M., Logan, S.M., Szymanski, C.M., MacKenzie, R. & Arbabi-Ghahroudi, M. (2013)
Pentavalent single-domain antibodies reduce Campylobacter jejuni motility and
colonisation in chickens. PlosOne. Accepted, Online Dec 31, 8 (12).
 Kudirkienė, Ė., Thorup Cohn, M., Stabler, R. A., Strong, P. C. R., Šerienė, L., Wren, B.
W., Møller Nielsen, E., Malakauskas, M., Brønsted, L. (2012). Phenotypic and genotypic
characterisation of Campylobacter jejuni isolated from the broiler meat production
process. Current Microbiology. 65, 398.
 Strong, P. C. R., Hinchliffe, S. J., Patrick, H., Atkinson, S., Champion, O. & Wren, B. W.
(2011). Identification and characterisation of a novel adhesin Ifp in Yersinia
pseudotuberculosis. BMC Microbiol. 11, 85.
 Stabler, R. A., Nalerio, E. S., Strong, P. C. R. & Wren, B. W. (2010). Investigating
foodborne pathogens using comparative genomics. In Tracing Pathogens in the Food
Chain. Edited by S. Brul, P. M. Fratamico & T. A. McMeekin. Woodhead Publishing.
 Howard, S. L., Strong, P. C. R. & Wren, B. W. (2009). The three bears and virulence-
associated plasmids in the genus Yersinia. In Microbial Megaplasmids, pp. 171-186.
Edited by E. Schwartz. Berlin Springer.
 Hinchliffe, S. J., Strong, P. C. R., Howard, S. L. & Wren, B. W. (2008). Evolution of
pathogenic Yersinia. In Evolutionary Biology of Bacterial and Fungal Pathogens, pp. 385-
396. Edited by F. Baquero, C. Nombela, G. H. Cassell & J. A. Gutierrez. Washington D.
C. ASM Press.
 Hares, M. C., Hinchliffe, S. J., Strong, P. C. R., Eleftherianos, I., Dowling, A. J., ffrench-
Constant, R. H. & Waterfield, N. (2008). The Yersinia pseudotuberculosis and Yersinia
pestis toxin complex is active against cultured mammalian cells. Microbiology 154, 3503.
 Additionally, involved in a patent for a C. difficile vaccine candidate (2012)
Conferences and Meetings
2013 CSM – Ottawa, Canada (oral presentation)
2011 Clostpath – Ames, Iowa, USA
2009 SGM – Edinburgh, UK
2009 Biotracer AGM – Berlin, Germany
2008 Biotracer AGM – Dublin, Ireland
2006 Yersinia Symposium - Lexington, Kentucky, USA
2006 SGM - Dublin, Ireland