Raymond Turner

Position: Faculty Professor, Biochemistry & Microbiology

Institution: University of Calgary, Department of Biological Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Alberta

Role with AMR - One Health Consortium: Investigator (Open to collaboration)

Dr. Raymond Turner has been studying metals and metalloid toxicity towards bacteria since the early 1990’s.  The research has evolved from studying specific metal resistance genes carried on mobile genetic elements to their mechanisms of action.  Research underway is evaluating a number of metal-based antimicrobials (MBA) in ionic or nanomaterial form for their efficacy against various ESKAPE pathogens. We are also producing our own novel antimicrobial Nanomaterials.  We established that MBAs have good efficacy against biofilms and are discovering the differences in efficacies of different MBA formulations and the tolerance of bacteria growing as a community compared to single species.  Through these different projects we have also explored if MBA’s can complement existing antibiotics and work synergistically. With our background knowledge, we aim to explore novel coating materials for medical devices and high contact surfaces.  As we understood more of the metal–microbe interaction we have been able to also explore pollutant bioremediation strategies.  We are seeing use of MBA’s in water treatment, wound bandages, topical treatments, and they are extensively used in agriculture (plant and animal health) and misused in textiles (body odor control). Yet little is known of the consequences of such use and subsequent AMR.

Two parallel AMR relevant research projects are also ongoing: study of the biochemistry of the small multidrug resistance (SMR) family of antiseptic and antibiotic efflux transporters; investigating the twin-arginine translocase (Tat), which transports of folded proteins, a potential novel target for antimicrobials.

Key Areas of Expertise: Metal-based antimicrobials, Mechanisms of metal efficacy & resistance, biofilms, novel antimicrobials, novel antimicrobial targets (Tat), multidrug resistance transporters, metal pollutant bioremediation, organic pollutant bioremediation

For more information on Dr. Raymond Turner, visit his profile on the website below.