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Patrick Kimmitt

Patrick K

Contact Details

Telephone: 020 7911 5000 ext 64135

Fax: 020 7911 5087 

Email: P.Kimmitt@westminster.ac.uk


Background

I trained as a state registered Biomedical Scientist specialising in Medical Microbiology before embarking on a career in academic research. Following research posts studying the role of histones in gene regulation (Kings College London) and the pathophysiology of asthma (National Heart & Lung Institute, London) I read for a PhD at the University of Newcastle. Here, I studied the regulation of Shiga toxin gene expression in Escherichia coli O157:H7, demonstrating the link between upregulation of Shiga toxin genes following exposure to antibiotics, the bacterial SOS response and activation of the lytic cycle of the Shiga toxin phage. This work highlighted the risks of antibiotic therapy in the treatment of this infection.

Following postdoctoral work on the role of type III secretion in the virulence of Chlamydia trachomatis (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine) I worked as a Clinical Scientist in the Department of Clinical Microbiology at the University Hospitals of Leicester, gaining HPC registration in 2006. Here I helped establish the molecular diagnostics suite and developed, evaluated and ran a number of molecular assays for diagnosing and monitoring infection. I joined the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Westminster in 2006.

Research Interests

  • Sexually transmitted infections, including the epidemiology of syphilis and comparative genomics of Treponema pallidum. The use of alternative and self-collected sampling methods combined with nucleic acids amplification technologies for the detection of STIs in high risk populations.

  • The applications of metagenomics, particularly methods for sequence-independent detection of respiratory pathogens and infections in the honey bee.

  • The virulence and epidemiology of Fusobacterium necrophorum infections.

  • The applications of e-learning, particularly podcasting, to enhance the student learning experience.

Current Research / Ongoing Projects

  • Validation and use of a metagenomic approach to detect and characterise viral infections of the respiratory tract (with Dr Mark Clements and PhD student, Md. Shahidul Kabir).

  • Genomics, virulence and epidemiological analysis of Fusobacterium necrophorum (with Dr Pamela Greenwell).

    Please note I am always happy to speak to prospective PhD students about projects in my laboratory, however, usually some form of self-funding is required.

Selected Publications

Pilot study of the utility and acceptability of tampon sampling for the diagnosis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis infections by duplex real-time PCR in United Kingdom sex workers. P.T. Kimmitt, S.N. Tabrizi, M. Crosatti, S.M. Garland, P.C. Schober, K. Rajakumar, C.A. Chapman International Journal of STD & AIDS, 2010 21(4): p279-282.

A Two-Tube Combined TaqMan/SYBR Green Assay to Identify Mycobacteria and Detect Single Global Lineage-defining Polymorphisms in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. E.S.G. Cheah, J. Malkin, R. C. Free, S. Lee, H. Patel, P.T. Kimmitt, R.J. Smith, K. Rajakumar, M.R. Barer Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, 2010 12(2): p250-256.

Identification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae as the causative agent in a case of culture-negative dermatitis-arthritis syndrome using real-time PCR. P.T. Kimmitt, A. Kirby, N. Perera, K.G. Nicholson, P.C. Schober, K. Rajakumar, C.A. Chapman Journal of Travel Medicine. 2008 Sep-Oct; 15(5): p369-71.

Identification of Streptococcus macedonicus as the aetiological agent in a case of culture-negative triple-valve infective endocarditis by 16S rDNA PCR analysis of resected valvular tissue J. Malkin, P.T. Kimmitt, H.Y. Ou, P.S. Bhasker, M. Khare, Z. Deng, I. Stephenson, A.W. Sosnowski, N. Perera, K. Rajakumar. Journal of Heart Valve Disease. 2008 Sep; 17(5): p589-92.

A consensus on Fungal PCR Diagnosis? – The development of a UK consensus on a methodology for PCR detection of systemic fungal infections. P.L White, R. Barton, M. Guiver, C.J. Linton, S. Wilson, M. Smith, B.L. Gomez, M.J. Carr, P.T. Kimmitt, S. Seaton, K. Rajakumar, T. Hollyoake, C.C. Kibler, E. Johnson, R.P. Hobson, B. Jones, R.A. Barnes Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, (2006) 8: p376-84

Induced expression of the type 2 Shiga toxin gene by antimicrobial agents and the potential role of the bacterial SOS response in pathogenesis. P.T. Kimmitt, C.R. Harwood, M.R. Barer. Emerging Infectious Disease (2000) 6: p458-465.

Relationships between culturability, activity and virulence in pathogenic bacteria. M.R. Barer, R.J. Smith, R.P. Cooney, P.T. Kimmitt. Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy (2000) 6: p108-111.

Induction of type 2 Shiga toxin synthesis in Escherichia coli O157 by 4-quinolones. P.T. Kimmitt, C.R. Harwood, M.R. Barer. Lancet (1999) 353: p1588-1589.

Research Groups / Key Appointments