Contributor

Further information

[INC]  Dr Ian Clarke: The chlamydial plasmid, chlamydial phages

Ian Clarke is Professor of Virology at the University of Southampton, School of Medicine.  Ian graduated in Microbiology from Leeds University in 1979 and undertook a PhD in Virology at the University of Warwick completing his studies in 1982.

Ian’s early research activities focussed on Molecular Virology, however, in 1984 he joined the Department of Molecular Microbiology at Southampton and immediately enjoyed an excellent and long – lasting collaboration with Mike Ward working on chlamydiae.  Early work included molecular characterisation and expression of chlamydial genes encoding envelope proteins.  Ian is interested in the extrachromosomal elements of chlamydiae with a long term view to developing vector systems.  Projects included characterisation of chlamydial plasmids.  A collaboration with Loula Vretou (Hellenic Pasteur Institute) led to the discovery of chlamydiophage 2 (Chp2), a ssDNA phage that infects C.abortus.  Chp2 has been the focus of recent research to understand the tropism of this phage this work has been undertaken by Sylvia Everson. Chp2 belongs to the Microviridae and Ian has collaborations with Ben Fane (University of Arizona) to investigate the structure and function of Chp2 encoded proteins.

 [MEW comments: A dedicated scientist and good colleague].