Benjamin Spurrier Email & Phone Number

Exeter, Gb

Exeter, England, United Kingdom

I work at the Research, Innovation, Learning and Development (RILD) building at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital for the University of Exeter. I assist in research relating to Monogenic Diabetes, Hyperinsulinism and Type 1 Diabetes genetic risk scores.

Exeter, England, United Kingdom

As a Grade 2 Assistant Scientist I have worked for the National Laboratory Service of the Environment Agency at Exeter Science Park as part of the Covid-19 Wastewater Molecular Analysis Laboratory, where our team provides data to the Office of National Statistics to inform pandemic policy.Key Responsibilities:•Viral concentration of wastewater samples via Ammonium Sulphate Precipitation•Extraction of lysed samples using KingFisher Flex liquid handling robots•Master mix preparation for RT-qPCR•Operating QIAgility pipetting robots for RT-qPCR sample preparation•Analysis of QuantStudio RT-qPCR results •Updating LIMS for all methodology procedures •Training others in complex molecular techniques

Exeter, England, United Kingdom

Covid-19 Serology test validation for commercial use to detect Sars-cov-2 antibodies and measure vaccine immune responce during the pandemic

Farnham, England, United Kingdom

I conducted independent research into the relative threat of an invasive oomycete pathogen. I designed and performed my own experiments whilst also routinely conducting diagnostic qPCR and endpoint PCR work for the department. Throughout my research, I regularly consulted the latest publications in the field to make informed decisions about appropriate methods to utilise in my experimentsKey Responsibilities:•Extraction of DNA from sample lesions and testing for P. ramorum infection via qPCR •Amplification of DNA samples via PCR for sequencing by Source BioScience •Analysis of SNPs for changes in lineage distribution that could increase infection risk •Maintenance of Excel databases of infection distributions •Maintenance of pathogen agar cultures •Operating safely and securely in restricted access areas to prevent quarantine breach •Performing invasive and non-invasive inoculationsKey Achievements:•My research confirmed Koch’s Postulates for infection of Sitka spruce by P. ramorum and also indicated that Sitka spruce is far less susceptible to infection than other hosts that have suffered from highly destructive epidemics of P. ramorum. •My data and conclusions were presented by my supervisor at an international forest health convention hosted by Alice Holt Research Centre.