My Research

I am a PhD student at Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick. My PhD is primarily supervised by Dr Nicole C. Robb and co-supervised by Professor Anne Straube. My research is based on using advanced microscopy to study the implications of morphological variations in influenza virus pathogenesis.

I use molecular biology, immunology, virology, and physics techniques, including tissue culture, virus infections, plaque assays, infectivity assays, RT-PCR, mammalian cell transfections, immunofluorescence, single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybridisation, microscopy, and image analysis. My research aims to contribute to developing effective antiviral strategies and ongoing Influenza vaccine research efforts.

My PhD is funded by the Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) studentship, a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) subsidiary.

Research Interests

Viral Pathogenesis, Viral Epidemiology and Transmission, Antiviral Therapy, Host-Virus Interactions.

Education

2022-date PhD Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research, University of Warwick, UK.

2021-2022 MSc Biotechnology, University of the West of Scotland, UK (Distinction).

2011-2015 BSc Microbiology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria (First Class).

Teaching experience

Senior Graduate Teaching Assistant, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, UK. Oct 2023 – Date

Graduate Teaching Assistant, School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, UK. Oct 2023 – Date

Graduate Assistant, Department of Microbiology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Nigeria. Oct 2019– Sept 2021

Conference papers/presentations

MIBTP Symposium 8th April 2025, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom (Oral presentation)

Microbiology Society Annual Conference 31st March - 3rd April 2025, Liverpool, United Kingdom (Presented a poster)

Influenza Meeting Update 18^th -19^th December 2023, Nottingham, United Kingdom

MIBTP Symposium 19^th April 2024, Aston University, United Kingdom (presented a poster)

Influenza Meeting Update 1st-3rd December 2024, Glasgow, United Kingdom (presented a poster)

MIBTP Symposium, 19^th April 2023, Harper Adams University, United Kingdom

Phage therapy an alternative to antibiotic resistance: applications, limitations, and possible futures. (seminar presentation at the University of the West of Scotland, UK). 2022

mRNA Vaccine Technology and Future Technologies for Infectious and Non-infectious Diseases Treatment and Eradication. (seminar presentation at the University of the West of Scotland, UK). 2022

Publications

Chidiebere F. Uchechukwu and Adedayo Shonekan. "Current status of clinical trials for phage therapy." Journal of Medical Microbiology 73.9 (2024): 001895.

Chidiebere F. Uchechukwu et al. "Desmoglein-2 and COVID-19 complications: insights into its role as a biomarker, pathogenesis and clinical implications." Journal of General Virology 104.10 (2023): 001902.

Professional memberships

·American Society for Microbiology

·Society for Applied Microbiology

·Microbiology Society

·The UK Clinical Virology Network

·Royal Society of Biology

Recent academic awards (scholarships/prizes)

Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) studentship (2022-2026)

Commonwealth Shared Scholarship (2021-2022)