Dr Jodie Ackland BSc, MSc, MRes, PhD
Research Fellow in Pulmonary Immunology
Dr Jodie Ackland is a Research Fellow within Clinical and Experimental Sciences in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Southampton, investigating the modulation of inflammatory pathways in chronic respiratory disease.
Jodie was awarded a LoveLuck scholarship to study for her undergraduate degree in Biology at Aberystwyth University. The broadness of the Biology degree allowed her to explore a wide range of biological sciences. Her dissertation research project involved sampling computer keyboards in communal and office areas to investigate whether more bacteria are present on communally-used keyboards or single-user office keyboards, which has potential implications for public health infection control policies.
After completing her undergraduate degree, Jodie decided to study for her MSc in Biomedical Science, specialising in Medical Microbiology at Cardiff Metropolitan University. Here her interest in infection and immunity field grew and was furthered developed during her laboratory research project supervised by Dr Julia Rey-Nores and Dr Sarah Maddocks. This project used a number of molecular and cellular techniques to investigate the response of THP-1 monocytes infected with a mucoid and non-mucoid P. aeruginosa strain longitudinally isolated from an individual with cystic fibrosis.
After an enjoyable experience in the lab during her MSc, Jodie decided to pursue further research opportunities and completed an Asthma UK funded PhD in Biomedical Science (Immunity and Infection) at the University of Southampton. Here, Jodie combined her interests in the fields of infection and immunity and respiratory disease and used a combination of experimental infection modelling and bioinformatic analysis to explore the complex interplay between respiratory tract infections and the lung immune response.
Jodie is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Pulmonary Immunology working with Dr. Karl Staples and Professor Tom Wilkinson, investigating the modulation of inflammatory pathways in chronic respiratory disease.
Degree Qualifications
BSc, Biology, Aberystwyth, 2014
MSc, Biomedical Science (Medical Microbiology), Cardiff Metropolitan University, 2016
MRes, Biomedical Science (Immunity and Infection), University Of Southampton, 2017
PhD, Biomedical Science, University Of Southampton, 2021
Appointments held
Research Fellow in Pulmonary Immunology, University of Southampton, 2021 – present