Professional Qualifications and professional memberships

• September 2008 - June 2010 - MA in Higher Education Practice University of East Anglia, Norwich
• October 1989 - June 1993PhD, – Biochemistry University of Dundee, Nethergate, Dundee
• October 1988 - June 1989MSc,-Cellular and Molecular Biochemistry University of Dundee, Nethergate, Dundee

• October 1983 - June 1987BSc (hons) - Biochemistry with Microbiology University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife
• Member of the Society of General Microbiology
• Member of the Association for the Study of Medical Education 

Research interests

• Science Communication
• Research Led Teaching including Research Ethics
• Embedding Science in a Medical Curriculum
• The Student Experience

Career summary

• August 2010 - Present Senior LEcturer Norwich MEdical SChool, UEA, Norwich
• May 2007 – August 2010 Lecturer in the School of Medicine, Health Policy and Practice, UE, Norwich     
• August 2008 - March 2009 Public Engagement/Science Communication Practitioner secondment for CUE east. UEA, Norwich                         
• July 2005 – July 2008 Honorary Lecturer at the School of Biological Sciences, UEA
• February 2004 – February 2009 Associate Lecturer with the Open University.
• August 1999 – April 2007 Part time, 30 hours, Post-Doctoral, Research Assistant in the laboratory of Stephen Bornemann,Department of Biological Chemistry, John Innes Centre. Regraded from band 7 to band 6 November 2006.  Merit award July 2004 & July 2006
• April 1995 - August 1999 Career break to raise family
• June 1993 - May 1995 Post doctoral Research Fellow in the laboratory of Professor David Boxer 

Current

Recently, I have started to undertake research in new areas including how science and research is taught within a nedical curriculum and also research into science communication and activities involving public engagement.  Finally I am undertaking research focused on the students experience including motivation for student attendance, student feedback, and widening access and participation issues.

Previous

In my previous life as a bench scientist I undertook research on plant, fungal and microbial proteins belonging to the cupin superfamily as well as Alernan sucrase, an enzyme that synthesises glycan (a glucose polymer). I have also researched the proteins and genes involved in the transpot of metals into gram negative bacteria as wass as the proteins and genes involved in the anaerobic metabolism of gram negative bacteria.  Finally, I researched the gene clusters, proteins and biochemical processes involved in novel antibiotic production from Streptomyces.  I am still very interested in this research area and have incorporated my interest in antibiotics into my teaching areas.

Selected publications

• Detection of transglucosidase-catalyzed polysaccharide synthesis on a surface in real time using surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy.  Clé C, Gunning AP, Syson K, Bowater L, Field RA, Bornemann S .J Am Chem Soc. 2008 Nov 19;130(46):15234-5. Epub 2008 Oct 29. 
• The identity of the active site of oxalate decarboxylase and the importance of the stability of active-site lid conformations. Just VJ, Burrell MR, Bowater L, McRobbie I, Stevenson CE, Lawson DM, Bornemann S. Biochem J. 2007 Nov 1;407(3):397-406.
• Oxalate decarboxylase and oxalate oxidase activities can be interchanged with a specificity switch of up to 282,000 by mutating an active site lid. Burrell MR, Just VJ, Bowater L, Fairhurst SA, Requena L, Lawson DM, Bornemann S. Biochemistry. 2007 Oct 30;46(43):12327-36. Epub 2007 Oct 9.
• Cloning and sequencing of two Ceriporiopsis subvermispora. bicupin oxalate oxidase allelic isoforms: implications for the reaction specificity of oxalate oxidases and decarboxylasesEscutia MR, Bowater L, Edwards A, Bottrill AR, Burrell MR, Polanco R, Vicuña R, Bornemann S. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2005 Jul;71(7):3608-16.
• SAD at home: solving the structure of oxalate decarboxylase with the anomalous signal from manganese using X-ray data collected on a home source. Stevenson CE, Tanner A, Bowater L, Bornemann S, Lawson DM. Acta Crystallogr D Biol Crystallogr. 2004 Dec;60(Pt 12 Pt 2):2403-6. Epub 2004 Nov 26.
• Characterization of a temperature-sensitive DNA ligase from Escherichia coli. Lavesa-Curto M, Sayer H, Bullard D, MacDonald A, Wilkinson A, Smith A, Bowater L, Hemmings A, Bowater RP. Microbiology. 2004 Dec;150(Pt 12):4171-80.
• A closed conformation of Bacillus subtilis oxalate decarboxylase OxdC provides evidence for the true identity of the active site. Just VJ, Stevenson CE, Bowater L, Tanner A, Lawson DM, Bornemann S. J Biol Chem. 2004 May 7;279(19):19867-74. Epub 2004 Feb 10.
• Bacillus subtilis YxaG is a novel Fe-containing quercetin 2,3-dioxygenase. Bowater L, Fairhurst SA, Just VJ, Bornemann S. FEBS Lett. 2004 Jan 16;557(1-3):45-8.
• Oxalate decarboxylase requires manganese and dioxygen for activity. Overexpression and characterization of Bacillus subtilis YvrK and YoaN. Tanner A, Bowater L, Fairhurst SA, Bornemann S. J Biol Chem. 2001 Nov 23;276(47):43627-34. Epub 2001 Aug 23.

A major part of my current role in the School of Medicine is the delivery of Module 1, The Humal Lifecycle, part of the MBBS medical degree course.  I also deliver lectures and run PBL sessions to Year 0 and Year 1 students on the MB/BS medical degree programme, especially in the areas of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance, Molecular Biology and Genetics.  Part of my role is as assessment lead for Module 1 and through this I have developed skill and understanding in assessing, assessment and setting appropriate and SMART learning outcomes.  I have also sat on the A104 (Medicine with a Foundation Year) exam board, the MBBS Year 1 exam board and the Faculty of Medicine and Health post graduate taught programmes exam board.  The A104 Medicine with a Foundation Year is a programme with a widening access agenda that delivers significant opportunities for students from a non-traditional background to enter the medical profession.  In addition it offers the university the opportunity to meet its widening acess agenda.

As well as my teaching within the School of Medicine I am also a lecturer on the School of Biology Module 3CXY, Science Communication.  I also deliver sessions on the taught Masters Module, Introduction to Research Ethics and Governance (MED-38-F). 

My role as Course Director for the MSc in Clinical Research has introduced me to the concept of professional practice and problem solving student focused issues.  It has allowed me to take the programme through a very successful course review and to use the course as a successful framework for successfully applying for Walcott Funding (NIHR) to deliver a new course, the MSc in Health Research specifically designed for early career clinicians.

Grants and Teaching Fellowships

• UEA Teaching Fellowship 2011 - Dr John Winpenny, Dr Laura Bowater, Dr Sandra Gibson, Mrs Liz Philips 'Exploring ways to enhance Foundation students' success in their final degree studies' £4,882
• UEA Teaching Fellowship 2009 - Dr Laura Boware & Dr Steven Ashworth and Ms Jo Bruce 'Evaluating the use of Audience Response Systems at UEA' £3,713
• UEA Teaching Fellowship 2009 - Dr Laura Bowater, Dr Sandra Gibson, Dr Nicola Spalding, Dr Bruce Lindsay, Ms Swati Kale and Ms Rosie Mason 'Improving Student Feedback: Understanding needs; managing expectations, and improving practice across the Faculty of Health' £4,706
• UEA Teaching Fellowship 2007 - Dr Laura Bowater & Dr Andy Mee 'Show and Tell PBL' £2,150
• UEA Teaching Fellowship with Dr Helen James (BIO) Dec 2007: ‘An analysis of what motivates BIO, HIS, ECO and MED students to attend classes and what drives student absenteeism' £2,338 
• Co applicant – with Dr Kay Yeoman BIO (Principle Applicant) of a successful grant from Higher Education Academy June 2007 for funding to Develop a 20 Credit Unit 3CXY Science Communication.  This is a cross school unit which will be run within the Faculty of Science at the University of East Anglia. Awarded
• Principle applicant on a grant, with Prof Sam Leinster, MED, UEA, to the British Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. Titled 'Teaching Antimicrobial Chemotherapy to Medical Students', this aims to allow medical students to learn about prudent antibiotic prescribing using an active learning approach and a new educational forum. Awarded

Teaching Material

• How to Write Your Research Project Report for JASME (2008)

• 2011 Elected to the Education Division of the Society for General Microbiology

• 2010 Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

• 2010 - Present Reviewer of HEA Grants and Fellowship Awards

• 2008 - Present Reviewer for Medical Education Journal and the Bioscience Journal

Present - Co-director of the Medicine with a Foundation Year Programme (A104)
Present - Module Coordinator for the MBBS Module 1, The Human Lifecycle: a Holistic Approach
Present - Module Coordinator for the MSc in Clinical Research Module, An Introduction to Research Ethics and Governance
Present - Member of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee
2007 - 2010 - Course Director for MSc Clinical Research (Health Sciences)