Dr Delma Childers

Dr Delma Childers
Dr Delma Childers
Dr Delma Childers

Senior Lecturer

Accepting PhDs

About
Email Address
delma.childers@abdn.ac.uk
Telephone Number
+44 (0)1224 437495
Office Address

Institute of Medical Sciences

Room 4.22

School/Department
School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition

Biography

Lecturer in Medical Sciences, 2019 - present

Research Fellow with the Aberdeen Fungal Group, 2016 - 2019

PDRA at University of Edinburgh, School of Physics and Astronomy 2015-2016

Postdoctoral Researcher with the Aberdeen Fungal Group 2013-2015

PhD (Microbiology & Immunology), University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA 2006-2012

BSc (Biology), Schreiner University, Kerrville, Texas, USA 2003-2006

Memberships and Affiliations

Internal Memberships

Aberdeen Fungal Group

Elected Member, University Senate (2020-2024)

Infection and Immunology Research Programme, Institute of Medical Sciences

External Memberships

External Affiliations

Board of Reviewers, Microbiology journal

Elected Eukaryotic Division member, Microbiology Society, 2021-2023

Member of the Young Academy of Scotland, 2020-2025

 

Public Engagement

Dr. Delma Childers has been a STEM Ambassador since 2015. She has contributed to University of Aberdeen's Door's Open Day at the IMS Building and family activities at May Festival.

Dr. Childers was awarded 'Scientist of the Week' during week 7 in the 2020 Medical Research Zone for 'I'm a Scientist... Stay at Home'. She enjoyed answering student's questions about science and careers during lockdown chats hosted by the 'I'm a Scientist' team.

Dr. Childers also was among the first group of women scientists to take part in Aberdeen's inaugural Soapbox Science event in May 2018.

Soapbox Science 2018

Latest Publications

View My Publications

Research

Research Overview

My interests are centered around understanding how fungi adapt to their hosts to cause infections. The major focus of my research is to investigate how the antimicrobial-resistant emerging fungal pathogen, Candida glabrata, remodels its surface to inhibit host immune activation and control disease outcomes. This research programme uses cytometric analyses, innate immune interaction assays, and molecular approaches to establish how this important intracellular fungal pathogen is detected by host cells and evades clearance mechanisms. 

Another facet of my research builds on my earlier work demonstrating that Saccharomyces cerevisiae clinical isolates are predominantly metabolic generalists that have lost glucose repression. This work is currently exploring how fungal metabolic mechanisms contribute to microbial persistence in their hosts.

My main aim is for my research to lead to a better understanding of fungal antimicrobial resistance, persistence, and pathogenesis. Understanding these facets of fungal biology is the key to improving diagnosis and treatment of serious fungal diseases.

 

Research Areas

Accepting PhDs

I am currently accepting PhDs in Biomedical Sciences.


Please get in touch if you would like to discuss your research ideas further.

Email Me

Biomedical Sciences

Supervising
Accepting PhDs

Research Specialisms

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Mycology

Our research specialisms are based on the Higher Education Classification of Subjects (HECoS) which is HESA open data, published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.

Supervision

My current supervision areas are: Biomedical Sciences.

I am currently accepting expressions of interest from students interested in pursuing a Masters by Research in Medical Sciences degree.

 

Previous lab members

Eszter Denes, MSc by Research in Medical Sciences

Funding and Grants

Carnegie Trust Research Incentives Grant, March 2020-2021

Royal Society Research Grant, October 2020-2021

Academy of Medical Sciences Springboard Round 6 Award, 2021-2023

Teaching

Non-course Teaching Responsibilities

Programme Lead 

MSc by Research in Medical Sciences

(https://www.abdn.ac.uk/smmsn/postgraduate/research/masters-by-research-in-biomedical-sciences-1228.php)

 

Other roles

Offering Honours and MSc projects

Personal Tutor

Publications

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Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings

Contributions to Conferences

Contributions to Journals

Non-textual Forms