Dr. Giusy Mariano

Biography

Giusy Mariano's scientific career has focused on investigating bacterial warfare. After earning her PhD, she held a postdoctoral position at the University of Dundee, where she investigated the molecular basis of antibacterial activity in the Type VI Secretion System of Serratia marcescens. She completed a short postdoc in the lab of Dr. Julien Bergeron, studying the mechanisms underpinning the assembly of bacterial flagella in Salmonella spp. In 2020, she was awarded the Sir Henry Wellcome Fellowship, which allowed her to start her own line of research aimed at discovering and characterizing novel anti-phage systems. Her fellowship took place at Newcastle University, where she conducted the initial phase of her work, which continued at the University of Surrey until project completion in 2024. Her research contributions have led to multiple publications reporting the discovery of previously unidentified anti-phage systems and unique mechanisms of action in Pseudomonas and Serratia species. Currently, she is a Lecturer at the School of Infection & Immunity, and starting March 2025, she will serve as an MRC Career Development Fellow, delving into the fundamental mechanisms underpinning the evolutionary dynamics of bacterial anti-phage systems. By utilizing physiologically relevant models, she aims to explore dynamics that could significantly impact the rapidly evolving field of phage therapy.

Research Interests

Experience