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Helen Brown

Dr Helen Brown

(she/her)

Users
Available for postgraduate supervision

Teams and roles for Helen Brown

  • Lecturer - Microbiology (T&R)

    School of Biosciences

Overview

My research investigates how commensal and environmental microbes transition into opportunistic pathogens, with a particular focus on anaerobic and microaerobic bacteria, biofilm formation, and microbial persistence in compromised niches. I work across clinical and environmental contexts, exploring how microbial communities contribute to opportunistic human diseases. By integrating concepts from One Healthinfection biology, and microbiome therapeutics, I aim to uncover mechanisms of microbial adaptation and persistence that influence human health across the lifespan.

I lead four interrelated strands of research:

  • Biofilm formation and persistence of Campylobacter jejuni
    Campylobacter jejuni is a microaerophilic pathogen and a leading cause of bacterial gastroenteritis. Despite its fastidious growth requirements, it persists in food chain environments through biofilm formation and surface attachment. My research investigates how C. jejuni forms biofilms under aerobic and microaerobic conditions, with a particular focus on the role of extracellular DNA (eDNA) in biofilm structure, stability, and antimicrobial resistance.

  • Cutibacterium acnes as an opportunistic pathogen
    C. acnes, an anaerobic skin commensal, is increasingly implicated in implant-related infections and prostate cancer. The anoxic tumour microenvironment may support its colonisation, and associated inflammation could drive cancer progression. I investigate microbial persistence and host responses to this underexplored organism.

  • Microbial colonisation of chronic wounds
    Chronic wounds are colonised by diverse microbial species from the environment and human microbiome, including anaerobes and facultative anaerobes. Using multi-species biofilm and bacterial–mammalian co-culture models, I study how microbes integrate into wound communities and the factors driving overgrowth and symptomatic infection.

  • Probiotic and natural product-based treatment of wound infections
    Conventional antibiotics often fail against chronic wound infections due to biofilm formation and intrinsic resistance, particularly among anaerobic and biofilm-forming species. I explore the antimicrobial and antibiofilm potential of fermented foods, probiotics, and natural products as alternative therapies for complex wound biofilms.

Publication

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2015

2014

2013

Articles

Book sections

Research

Research Overview

I investigate how microbial communities interact with host tissues and each other to drive infection, persistence, and healing. My research spans biofilm biologychronic wound microbiologytumour microbiomes, and host–microbe signalling, to develop novel therapeutic and diagnostic strategies for hard-to-treat conditions.

I’m particularly interested in how commensal and opportunistic bacteria adapt to complex environments like wounds and tumours, and how we can harness microbial ecology to improve health outcomes.


Current Research Themes

Bacterial–Host Interactions

  • Investigating how fibroblast secretomes influence bacterial virulence and biofilm formation
  • Exploring how mixed-species bacterial communities respond to host-derived signals and immune factors
  • Studying host–microbiome interactions in prostate cancer, focusing on inflammation, immune modulation, and microbial persistence

Bacterial–Bacterial Interactions

  • Understanding how commensal–pathogen dynamics drive microbial persistence and opportunistic infection
  • Using commensal microbiota to suppress or outcompete pathogens in chronic wound environments
  • Exploring biofilm synergy and competition in tumour and wound settings

Innovative Therapies and Diagnostics

  • Developing antimicrobial and antibiofilm strategies that leverage host-derived molecules
  • Investigating bacterial extracellular vesicles (bEVs) as non-invasive biomarkers and biofilm community modulators
  • Characterising the secretome and vesicle-mediated signalling of C. acnes in prostate tumour progression
  • Targeting Campylobacter jejuni biofilms using DNase-based approaches to disrupt extracellular DNA and reduce pathogen persistence
  • Studying C. jejuni survival and resistance mechanisms in food chain environments under aerobic and microaerobic conditions

Teaching

I teach on the following modules:

BI1001 Skills for Science
BI1003 Organisms and the Environment
BI2332 Concepts of Disease
BI3155 Infection biology and Epidemiology

I am also available to supervise BSc, MSc and MRes students

Biography

2022: Lecturer in Microbiology, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University

2019 - 2022: Postdoctoral Researcher, School of Dentistry, Cardiff University

2018 - 2019: Postdoctoral Researcher, School of Veterinary Medicine, Surrey University

2016 - 2018: Postdoctoral Researcher, School of Dentistry, Cardiff University

2015 - 2016: Postdoctoral Researcher, Cardiff School of Sport and Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University

2011 - 2015: PhD student, Institue of Food Research/University of East Anglia

2004 - 2011: Experimental Officer, Biosafety Division, Covance Laboratories Ltd

Honours and awards

2013: Society of General Microbiology Outreach Award

2013: University of East Anglia (CUE EAST) Outreach Newcomer Award

Professional memberships

2025 onwards - member of the UK Society for Extracellular Vessicles

2022 onwards - member of Applied Microbiology International

2012 onwards - member of the Microbiology Society

Committees and reviewing

2025 onwards: Editor of Microbiology Outlooks

2020 - 2024: Editor of Access Microbiology

Supervisions

Current supervision

Contact Details

Email [email protected]
Telephone +44 29225 14560
Campuses Sir Martin Evans Building, Room W2/03, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX

Specialisms

  • Aged health care
  • Medical bacteriology
  • Medical microbiology
  • Zoonosis
  • One health