Dr VIRTU SOLANO COLLADO

Prizes and Awards

2023        Fellowship Advance HE

2023        Shortlisted nominee Student's Union & the University of Aberdeen Excellence Awards - Most inspiring

Research Overview

I am interested in infection biology and immunology, in particular in the close interaction that bacteria establish with our immune cells. During my postdoc, my research focused on the interplay between Salmonella Typhi, the bacterium that causes typhoid fever, with macrophages – cells of the immune system devoted to kill microbes -. Because S. Typhi is human restricted (it cannot infect other species), I have been particularly interested on understanding what mechanisms mouse macrophages use to restrict S. Typhi and whether these mechanisms are functional in humans.    

Just as my research explored how microbes and immune cells ‘communicate,’ I am now starting to explore how to best ‘communicate’ immunology to students through the use of interactive educational resources such as case studies transformed in mystery-style online games.  

Knowledge Exchange

2021 Global Science Show as STEM ambassador, a virtual science festival on Twitter.

2020 Café Connect UoA: Asymptomatic carriers: the hidden epidemic (podcast)

2020 Skype a Scientist (platform that matches students with scientists around the globe)

2019 Soapbox Science as part of Explorathon 2019 (European Researchers’ Night-Scotland), an event where women working in science share the research they do with the general public using no-traditional methods

2017 Falling Walls Lab Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions contestant as part of the ‘Science is wonder-ful!’ event (European Researcher’s night) in Brussels, a science contest where research projects are presented in a three minutes pitch to a distinguished jury representing science and business organisations

2016 Pechakucha 20x20 (20 slides in 20 seconds) as part of Explorathon 2016 (European Researchers’ Night-Scotland), a visual talk lasting 6 minutes and 40 seconds

2016 Participation in “Sneaky Bugs”, a public engagement activity for children where they were introduced to concepts such as microbes, infection, antibiotics and resistance to antibiotics while having fun pretending to be scientist on the bench

I participate regularly in Doors Open day and Explorathon

Funding and Grants

2020-2021 Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Fund (ISSF) Fellowship

2018-2019 Tenovus Scotland Small Pilot Grant 

2016-2018 Marie-Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship 

Teaching Responsibilities

Degree Programme coordination: 

BSc (Honours) Immunology

BSc (Honours) Immunology and Pharmacology (with Prof Steve Tucker)

Deputy Lead of the Year 1 MBChB programme

Course coordination: 

ME2019 - Foundations of Medicine (Lead Course coordinator)

BI25M7 - Energy for life (with Prof John Barrow) 

BI25M5 - Microbes, Infection and Immunity (with Dr Frank Ward)

MB4050 - Advanced Molecular Biology (with Dr Shin-ichiro Hiraga)

IM4005 - Advanced Immunology (with Prof Heather Wilson)

Contribution to courses: 

Key area of expertise -microbiology and bacterial infection, immunology, molecular biology

I deliver a range of lectures, tutorials and practical classes in the following courses:

- ME2019 (Foundations of Medicine) - Lead Course coordinator. Lectures and problem-solving sessions.

- SM1001 (Introduction to Medical Sciences) - Lectures and practicals

- ME2511 (Year 1 MBChB Student Selected Component) - Tutor

- BI25M7 (Energy for life) – Course co-ordination. Lectures on Metabolic crosstalk host-pathogen, practicals & tutorials

- SM2001 (Foundation skills for medical sciences) - Workshops

- SM2501 (Research skills for Medical Sciences) - Theme leader (diseases of the immune system) and tutor

- SR2501 (Exercise and health) - Lectures

- BI20M3 (Molecular biology of the gene) – Practicals

- ME3013 - Year 2 MBChB Student Selected Component - Tutor

- IM3501 (Fundamentals of Immunology) – Lectures, practicals and tutorials

- IM3502 (Applied Immunology – Human health) - Lectures and tutorials

- IM4008 (Honours Immunology: Immune response and disease) - Lectures

- MC4303 (Honours microbiology: intestinal microbiology) - Lectures on bacteria-host interactions

- MB4050 (Advanced Molecular Biology) – course co-ordination. Workshops

- MB5526 (Genes and Immunity) - Lectures and tutorials

- MB5028 (Profiles of Immunology) - Practicals

- RN5009 (Exercise metabolism) - Lectures and tutorials on exercise immunology

Non-course Teaching Responsibilities

Personal tutor