Since graduating from university with a degree in biology and a master’s degree in public health, Claudia McKeown has worked in a variety of laboratories, both academic and industry. A strong focus of her career has been bacteriology and she has also worked in stem cell and virology research. Since joining Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) in 2020, her work has centred on infectious diseases, drug discovery, and antimicrobial resistance. Claudia played a key role in setting up and training users on the MALDI-ToF at LSTM and she continues to support researchers in using this technology for their projects. She also oversaw the final setup of a CL2 microbiology lab at LSTM. She takes responsibility for maintaining health and safety standards in the lab and takes an active role in promoting best practices within her team and across LSTM. Beyond the lab, Claudi is a member of the Technician Commitment, the Green Labs Group, and the Human Tissue Authority Committee. She has also completed the UK Institute for Technical Skills and Strategy Herschel Programme For Women In Technical Leadership.

Claudia’s research focuses on identifying phenotypic and genotypic variations in bacteria. At CL2, she uses a range of techniques, including qPCR, MALDI-ToF, and microbiological identification methods, to study bacterial characteristics and resistance patterns. Recently, she has been involved in the TRACS project, which investigates the transmission of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase and carbapenemase-producing enterobacterales in hospitals and care homes across Liverpool.

Claudia supervises sixth-form, undergraduate, and master’s students in the microbiology labs at LSTM. She demonstrates best practices for working in microbiological safety cabinets and advises on practical work, developing technical skills, and understanding of laboratory safety.