Background
Dr Antonio joined the Unit in Jan. 2005 from The University of Birmingham, UK as a Senior Scientist in Molecular Biology and Head, of The Mycobacteriology Laboratory. He is also The Biological Safety officer and administratively in-Charge of the Unit’s Containment level III facility housing HIV and TB laboratories.
Dr Antonio graduated from the University of Glasgow, Scotland with a BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry (1991), MSc from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK (1993) and PhD from Bart’s Medical College, University of London, UK (1997). Postdoctoral training were at University of Sheffield, UK (1997-2000), Queens University of Belfast, UK (2000-2001) and University of Birmingham UK (2001-2005).

Research

Invasiveness of bacteria pathogens in Africa
The focus of Martin’s research is to understand the effects of conjugate vaccines including pneumococcal vaccines on the population biology of bacterial pathogens in Africa. Martin’s group uses start-of-art methodologies (e.g. PCR, real-time PCR, cloning, DNA microarrays, DNA sequencing and MLST) for identifying and deciphering the genetic diversity of selected bacterial isolates (e.g. diseased versus carriage) common in The Gambia and determining its epidemiological impact. Pathogens studied include Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enteritidis, Neisseria meningitides and Haemophilus influenzae.

Diagnosis & Molecular Epidemiology of TB in The Gambia.
The TB group conducts testing for isolation and identification of all Mycobacterium species including Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. We provide diagnosis services to the MRC clinic and also to our field cohorts. Martin’s research focus includes evaluation of tools for the control of tuberculosis and molecular epidemiology (with Dr Bouke De Jong) including spoligotyping, RFLP and 16S rDNA sequencing. The laboratory also provides specialist training in TB culture, antimicrobial susceptibility testing and genotyping in the West African Sub-region

Current Projects

• To ascertain by MLST the invasiveness (pathogenicity index) of selected bacterial pathogens in the Gambia including Streptococcus pneumoniae, Salmonella enteritidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Neisseria meningitides and Haemophilus influenzae.
• Molecular serotyping Streptococcus pneumoniae
• Molecular differentiation of Mycobacteria
• The aetiology of severe pneumonia in Gambian children (a case-control study) using (a) real-time quantitative bacterial load PCR (b) Multiplex PCR and (c) 16s rRNA cloning/sequencing
• Development of cps DNA microarray for identification of multiple serotypes of S. pneumoniae in clinical specimens
• Case-control burden and aetiology of severe diarrhoeal disease in The Gambia
  

Group Members:
Dr Martin Antonio, Dr Gerry Morris, Ishrat Hakeem, Jacob Otu, Usman Ikumapayi, Lamin Juwara, Ebou Mbow, Oumie Secka, Francis Mendy, Andrew Rives and Mohammed Dukuray.

Collaborators
Prof. Gerd Pluschke, Swiss Tropical Institute, Basel, Switzerland
Prof. Brian Greenwood, LSHTM, University of London
Prof. Brian Spratt, Imperial College, University of London
Prof. Felicity Cutts, WHO and LSHTM, University of London
Prof. Kim Mulholland, LSHTM, University of London
Prof. Mike Barer, University of Leicester, UK
Prof. Brendan Wren, LSHTM, University of London
Prof. Mike Levin and Jim Nataro, CVD, University of Baltimore, USA
Prof. Peter Ghazel and Dr Paul Dickinson, University of Edinburgh,
Dr Jason Hinds, St George’s Medical School, London
Dr Stephen Bentley, Sanger Institute, UK

Past Visiting Researches
Dr Tope Alonge, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Dr Hannah Dada-Adegbola, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Dr Ype De Jong (New York)

Past visiting elective Students
John O'Callaghan, Medical Student (King’s College London)
Ms Laurence Tremolet, MSc student (ESTBB, Catholic University of Lyons, France)
Ms Isatu Drammeh, BSc student (University of The Gambia)