Key details
Dr Elinor Thompson
Senior Lecturer, Microbiology and Plant Science
Elinor Thompson is a microbiologist whose research has included molecular biology, developmental and cell biology, biochemistry, bioenergetics, imaging and spectroscopy, largely to explore membrane proteins but with collaborations spanning mathematical modelling and animal development.
Following BSc and MSc degrees in microbiology, she obtained her PhD in plant biology at University College London, researching the function of several proteins that were found in both photosynthetic eukaryotes and prokaryotes. This included utilising spectroscopy and molecular biology to examine how FtsH proteases influence membrane composition and photosystems of cyanobacteria and Arabidopsis.
This was followed by seven years of postdoctoral research at the University of Cambridge, working on various projects in a molecular development lab, for example, investigating the roles of a family of rhomboid proteases in development and growth, and of a 'multidrug and toxin efflux' protein in the transport of flavonoids, auxin regulation, and plant fertility.
Elinor's lab at Greenwich continues to work on these proteins in a range of organisms, including plants, microorganisms and the social amoeba Dictyostelium.
Lab members and alumni
- Dr Colin Bateman
- Dr Billy Ferrara
- Dale Harrison
- Iskander Ibrahim
- Dr Amit Prabhakar
- Dr Mehak Rafiq
- Mohamed Said
- Arwa Selim
- Dr Kevin Smyth
Responsibilities within the university
Course participation
- Plant Sciences
- Biotechnology
- Cell and Microbial Biology
- Fundamental Biology and Physiology
- Introduction to Medical Science
- Medical Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Practical and Professional Skills.
Research / Scholarly interests
- Plant biology
- Membrane proteases
- Cell-cell communication, signalling, development
- Photosynthesis.
Techniques
- Molecular biology
- Bioinformatics
- Spectroscopy (e.g., to examine behaviour of photosynthetic apparatus)
- Confocal and electron microscopy (e.g., use of GFP, and of cryo-SEM for observation of 'live' specimens).
Dr Thompson is interested in membrane proteases and transporters and their importance in regulating comparable processes in different organisms. The various roles of rhomboid proteins have led to an interest in fertility, and cell signalling in both eukaroytes and prokaryotes.
She welcomes enquiries from potential collaborators and postgraduate students regarding relevant research projects.
Recent publications
Article
Williams, Robin S. B. , Chubb, Jonathan R., Insall, Robert, King, Jason S. , Thompson, Elinor , Pears, Catherine J. (2021), Moving the research forward: the best of British biology using the tractable model system Dictyostelium Discoideum. MDPI. In: , , , . MDPI, Cells, 10: 3036 (11) ISSN: 2073-4409 (Print), 2073-4409 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10113036).
Di Genova, Cecilia , Sampson, Alex, Scott, Simon, Cantoni, Diego , Mayora-Neto, Martin , Bentley, Emma , Mattiuzzo, Giada , Wright, Edward , Derveni, Mariliza , Auld, Bethany (2021), Production, titration, neutralisation and storage of SARS-CoV-2 lentiviral pseudotypes. Bio-Protocol. In: , , , . Bio-Protocol, Bio-protocol, 11 (21) . pp. 1-21 ISSN: 2331-8325 (Print), (doi: https://doi.org/10.21769/BioProtoc.4236).
Thompson, Elinor and , Zand, Nazanin (2020), Tinted semi-transparent solar panels allow concurrent production of crops and electricity on the same cropland. Wiley. In: , , , . Wiley, Advanced Energy Materials, 10: 2001189 (35) . pp. 1-9 ISSN: 1614-6832 (Print), 1614-6840 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202001189).
Thompson, Elinor , Bombelli, EL, Simon, Shubham, Watson, Hamish , Everard, Aldous , Schievano, Andrea , Bocchi, Stefano , Zand Fard, Nazanin , Howe, Christopher J. , Bombelli, Paolo (2020), Tinted semi‐transparent solar panels allow concurrent production of crops and electricity on the same cropland. Wiley. In: , , , . Wiley, Advanced Energy Materials, 10: 2001189 (35) ISSN: 1614-6832 (Print), 1614-6840 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202001189) NB Item availability restricted.
Harrison, Dale J. A. and , Thompson, Elinor P (2020), A rapid and low-cost method for genomic DNA extraction from the cyanobacterium Synechocystis. Oxford University Press (OUP). In: , , , . Oxford University Press (OUP), Biology Methods and Protocols, 5: bpaa011 (1) 2396-8923 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/biomethods/bpaa011).
Weinrich, Tobias , Hoh Kam, Jaimie, Ferrara, Bill T., Thompson, Elinor P. , Mitrofanis, John , Jeffery, Glen (2019), A day in the life of mitochondria reveals shifting workloads. Nature. In: , , , . Nature, Scientific Reports, 9: 13898 ISSN: 2045-2322 (Print), 2041-1723 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-48383-y).
Thompson, Elinor and , Ferrara, Bill T. (2019), A method for visualising fluorescence of flavonoid therapeutics in vivo in the model eukaryote Dictyostelium discoideum. Future Science. In: , , , . Future Science, BioTechniques, 66 (2) . pp. 65-71 ISSN: 0736-6205 (Print), 1940-9818 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.2144/btn-2018-0084).
Thompson, Elinor and , (2018), Book review: "Reinventing the wheel: Milk, Microbes and the Fight for Real Cheese" by Bronwen and Francis Percival. Microbiology Society. In: , , , . Microbiology Society, Microbiology Today, 45 (1) . pp. 46 ISSN: 1464-0570 (Print), (doi: https://microbiologysociety.org/uploads/assets/uploaded/fb9abfd7-67a4-4a8c-9444ab98ca5b9d57.pdf).
Book section
Milledge, John J. , Thompson, Elinor P., Sauvetre, Andre, Schroeder, Pater , Harvey, Patricia (2019), Novel developments in biological technologies for wastewater processing. Elsevier. In: , , In: Charis M. Galanakis, Evita Agrafioti (eds.), Sustainable Water and Wastewater Processing. Elsevier, . pp. 239-278 . ISBN: 9780128161708 (doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-816170-8.00008-9) NB Item availability restricted.
Conference item
Ademola, Oluwaseyi , Ferrara, Bill T., Hopkins, Richard, Thompson, Elinor (2024), Crop biology agrivoltaics systems' skewed spectrum light. In: Horticultural Science: From Discovery to Application, 26th - 27th Mar, 2024, Reading , . , (doi: https://www.aab.org.uk/event/horticultural-science-from-discovery-to-application/) NB Item availability restricted.
Ogunsanya, Olaide , Afolabi, Clement, Colgan, Richard, Armitage, Andrew , Thompson, Elinor , Ortega-beltran, Alejandro , Abberton, Michael (2023), Polyphasic identification of causative pathogens responsible for foliar and pod diseases of African Yam Bean in Nigeria. In: Microbiology Society Annual Conference 2023, 17th - 20th April 2023, Birmingham International Convention Centre , . , (doi: https://microbiologysociety.org/event/annual-conference/annual-conference-2023.html).
Ademola, Oluwaseyi , Duvenage, Francois, Selim, Arwa, Ferrara, Bill T. , Hopkins, Richard , Thompson, Elinor (2023), Crop biology under agrivoltaics systems’ skewed spectrum light. In: SEB annual conference, 4th - 7th July 2023, Edinburgh , . , (doi: https://www.sebiology.org/events/seb-centenary-conference-2023.html).
Selim, Arwa , Ferrara, Bill T., Thompson, Elinor (2023), Life cycle-specific secondary metabolites in the model eukaryotic microbe, Dictyostelium. In: Annual Conference Microbiology Society 2023, 17th - 20th April 2023, Birmingham , . , (doi: https://app.oxfordabstracts.com/stages/4939/submissions/458075/form/view).
Selim, Arwa and , Thompson, Elinor (2022), Efflux transporter capability in Synechocystis: roles and application. In: 17th International Symposium on Phototrophic Prokaryotes (ISPP2022), 21st - 25th August 2022, Liverpool , . , (doi: https://ispp2022.com/programme/).
Ferrara, Bill T. and , Thompson, Elinor (2022), Differential activity of efflux transporters of the model eukaryote Dictyostelium. In: Microbiology Society Annual Conference 2022, 4th - 7th April 2022, Belfast , . , (1st) (doi: https://microbiologysociety.org/event/annual-conference/annual-conference-2022.html).
Said, Mohamed , Thompson, Elinor, Everett, Jeremy (2021), Modulation of ageing by genetic knock-out, phototherapy and drugs in the C. elegans worm. Biochemical Society - British Society for Research on Ageing (BSRA). In: Metabolism of Ageing, 06 - 08 Sep 2021, online In: Cathy Slack, James Brown (eds.), A JOINT BIOCHEMICAL SOCIETY & BSRA ONLINE CONFERENCE: Metabolism of Ageing 6-8 September 2021 ONLINE. Biochemical Society - British Society for Research on Ageing (BSRA), Aston University, UK / Trustee, British Society for Research on Ageing (doi: https://bsra.org.uk/bsra-biochemical-society-metabolism-of-ageing-meeting/) NB Item availability restricted.
Said, Mohamed , Thompson, Elinor, Everett, Jeremy (2019), Metabolic ageing in the C. elegans worm and modulation by genetic knock-out, phototherapy and drugs. The Genetics Society. In: UK C.elegans meeting, 16th September 2019, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Imperial College Rd, London, UK , UK C.elegans Meeting London 16 September 2019 Proceedings. The Genetics Society, (doi: http://p35-preview.runhosting.com/londonelegans2019.co.uk/) NB Item availability restricted.
Harrison, Dale and , Thompson, Elinor (2019), Regulated intramembrane proteolysis in the plastid envelope. 18th International Workshop on Plant Membrane Biology. In: 18th International Workshop on Plant Membrane Biology, 07 - 12 Jul 2019, Glasgow, Scotland , 18th International Workshop on Plant Membrane Biology. 18th International Workshop on Plant Membrane Biology, (doi: http://iwpmb2019.psrg.org.uk/).
Ferrara, Billy and , Thompson, Elinor (2018), Imaging polyphenolic therapeutic compounds in a eukaryotic model microbe. Microbiology Society. In: Microbiology Society Annual Conference 2018, , , Microbiology Society Annual Conference 2018. Microbiology Society, . pp. 302-302 (doi: ).
Thompson, Elinor and , Harrison, Dale (2018), The cyanobacterial rhomboid protease is a regulator of the CCM. Microbiology Society. In: Microbiology Society Annual Conference 2018, , , Microbiology Society Annual Conference 2018. Microbiology Society, . pp. 94-94 (doi: ).
Ibrahim, Iskander , Blunskyte, Modesta, Thompson, Elinor (2017), The cyanobacterial rhomboid protease is a new regulator of the CCM. In: Plastid Preview, 4-5 September 2017, University of Cambridge , . , (doi: http://www.phyconet.org.uk/event/plastid-preview-2017) NB Item availability restricted.
Ferrara, Bill T. and , Thompson, Elinor (2017), Therapeutic potential of flavonoid pigments: transport mechanisms in Dictyostelium discoideum. In: Dictyostelium UK Annual Meeting: A Spring Odyssey, 30-31 March 2017, London , . , (doi: ).
Thompson, Elinor and , Ibrahim, Iskander (2016), Rhomboid proteases of the chloroplast and cyanobacterium. In: 3rd International Conference on Plant Proteases: Plant Proteases: from roles in life and death to understanding regulation and action., 10-12 April 2016, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK , . , (doi: ) NB Item availability restricted.
Thompson, Elinor and , Ferrara, Billy (2016), Development of flavonoid therapeutics: Transport mechanisms in the model eukaryote Dictyostelium discoideum. In: The Microbiology Society annual conference, 21-24 March 2016, Liverpool, UK , . , (doi: http://www.microbiologysociety.org/events/annual-conferences/index.cfm/annual-conference-2016) NB Item availability restricted.
Conference proceedings
Ferrara, Bill T. , Saleh, Salma Mounir, Thompson, Elinor (2020), Multidrug and efflux transporters of the model microbe Dictyostelium discoideum. Microbiology Society. In: , , , Access Microbiology. Microbiology Society, London, UK , 2 (7a) 2516-8290 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1099/acmi.ac2020.po0194).
Thompson, Elinor and , Rafiq, Mehak (2019), The Dictyostelium rhomboid proteases and mitochondrial disease. Microbiology Society. In: , , , Access Microbiology. Microbiology Society, London , 1 (doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1099/acmi.ac2019.po0269).
Ibrahim, Iskander , Richards, Jack, Rickard, Abigail, Thompson, Elinor (2016), Role of a rhomboid protease in a CO2-concentrating mechanism. Royal Society. In: , , , Royal Society Discussion meeting Enhancing photosynthesis in crop plants: targets for improvement. Royal Society, (doi: https://royalsociety.org/science-events-and-lectures/2016/10/enhancing-photosynthesis/).