Joanna Verran

Verran studied maths, biology and chemistry at A-level.[1] She studied bacteriology and virology and the University of Manchester and graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1977. She went on to earn a Master of Science (MSc) degree in 1978[2] followed by a PhD in 1981.[3][4] Her postgraduate research was based on Streptococcus mutans.[3]

Verran works on the interactions of microorganisms with surfaces including food preparation surfaces, water pipes and dentures at Manchester Metropolitan University.[4] She has looked at the pathogenicity of Candida albicans and how it relates to stomatitis.[4] She recognised that the properties of surfaces affected the retention of cells, and began to investigated the topography and chemistry of surfaces.[5] She was the academic lead for a Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) LINK project that worked with Unilever, AstraZeneca, studying the impact of wear on the ability to clean food surfaces.[5] She developed atomic force microscopy to evaluate the attachment of microorganisms to work surfaces.[5] The project informed European Commission funded PathogenCombat, which informed small and medium-sized enterprises about food hygienic preparation.[5] She served as President of the International Biodeterioration Biodegradation Society between 2006 and 2009.[6]

Verran was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship in 2011 and is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA).[7][8] She has was involved in the creation of the National Subject Profile in Microbiology.[9] She published An Atlas of Biodeterioration in 2013.[10] She contributed to Effective Learning in the Life Sciences: How Students Can Achieve Their Full Potential.[11]

Verran became interested in the intersection of science and the arts; supporting students to engage with different disciplines.[12][13][14][15] In 2009 Verran launched the Bad Bugs Book Club which looks to engage people with microbiology and infectious diseases.[16][17] The book club is open to the scientists and non-scientists.[16] She held a Bad Bugs Book Club at the British Science Association Science Communication Conference in 2015.[18] The book club was a case study in Science Communication: A Practical Guide for Scientists.[19] Verran has used zombies and vampires that can act as models of infectious diseases, and demonstrated the exhibit at Cheltenham Science Festival.[12][20] She has researched effective means of evaluating science communication.[4][21] She launched the Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) science communication Master's program in 2016.[22] Verran has been involved with the Bradford Literature Festival and Manchester Children's Book Festival.[22] She has written for The Conversation.[23] She has explored how educational interventions can impact adolescent opinions of vaccinations.[24]

Verran is married with two children.[1]