Christopher Harmer

Dr Christopher Harmer is a Research Associate in the School of Life and Environmental Sciences and an Associate Lecturer in the School of Medical Sciences at The University of Sydney. His research focuses on bacterial mobile genetic elements, particularly those that drive the acquisition, movement, and accumulation of antibiotic resistance genes. Through this work, he aims to better understand the genetic mechanisms underpinning the emergence and global spread of multidrug-resistant 'superbugs'. His research areas include bacteriology, microbial genetics, clinical sciences, microbiology, medical biochemistry and metabolomics, medical microbiology, and genetics.

Christopher John Harmer is a Lecturer at the University of Sydney specializing in molecular microbiology. His research focuses on the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance gene transfer, particularly through insertion sequences (IS) such as IS26. Harmer investigates how these elements mediate the movement of resistance genes, forming transposons and contributing to the spread of antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative bacteria. His work also explores the role of plasmids, such as IncA and IncC, in the dissemination of resistance genes. Additionally, he examines the virulence factors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis lung infections, using proteomic and gene expression analyses to identify potential targets for therapeutic intervention.