Prof. Neil Gow FRS, FMedSci, FRSE, FRSB, FAAM

Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Impact and Professor of Microbiology

Research Focus

Neil Gow is Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Impact and Professor of Microbiology, and a microbiologist with specialist research interests in medical mycology and in particular the structure and function of the fungal cell wall in relation to host-pathogen interactions. His research has been in the field of fungal biology and genetics, morphogenesis and pathogenesis. In particular he is interested in how the cell walls of fungal pathogenic species is assembled, respond to antifungal antibiotics and are recognised by the human immune system and how this directly impacts on the design and use of antifungal drugs, diagnostics and immunotherapies for fungal diseases. He was a founding member of the Aberdeen Fungal Group (AFG) which is one of the largest worldwide research centres for medical mycology.

Scientific Activities

Neil Gow is a Director of a Wellcome Trust Strategic Award that coordinates research and training activity in the field of medical mycology and fungal immunology across the UK and in developing countries. His research is funded via the MRC, and Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator and Collaborator awards. Currently he is serving President of the Microbiology Society and  has, in the past, been President of the BMS and ISHAM.

Significant Publications

Wagener, J., Malireddi, S. R.K, Lenardon, M.D., Kӧberle, M., Vautier, S., MacCallum, D.M., Biedermann, T., Schaller, M, Netea, M.G., Kanneganti, T-D., Brown, G.B., Brown, A.J.P. & Gow, N.A.R. (2014). Fungal chitin dampens inflammation through NOD2 and TLR9 activation. PLoS Pathogens 10(4): e1004050. doi:10.1371. PMC3983064.

Walker, L.A., Lee, K.K., Munro, C.A. & Gow, N.A.R. (2015). Caspofungin treatment of Aspergillus fumigatus results in ChsG-dependent upregulation of chitin synthesis and the formation of chitin-rich micro-colonies. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 59, 5932-5941.

Erwig, L.P. & Gow, N.A.R. (2016). Interactions of fungal pathogens with phagocytes. Nature Reviews Microbiology 14, 163-176.

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Collaborators