Professional Qualifications and professional memberships

• 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

• May 2007 – Present Teaching Fellow in the School of Medicine, Health Policy and Practice                               
• 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

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 Alternan sucrase an enzyme that synthesises glycan (a glucose polymer). I have also researched the proteins and genes involved in the transport of metals into gram negative bacteria as well 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.  Recently, I have started to undertake research in new areas including how science and research is taught within a medical curriculum and also research into the area of the public understanding of science and activities involving public engagement. SEARCH ().  One of my new research projects is withScience Engagement and Researching ChangeThis is an action learning based research group composed of other scientists and engineers from different universities. Finally I am keen to begin to research the student experience, by initially focussing on the motivation for student attendance.
 

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 to Co-ordinate the Research Project undertaken in the 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th year of the MBBS medical degree course.  I also give lectures and run tutorial sessions throughout the MB/BS medical degree programme especially in the areas of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance as well as DNA and the problems that can occur when your DNA develops mistakes. The MB/BS course is based on a Problem Based Learning (PBL) approach and I am a PBL facilitator for the 1^st year students and I continue to be involved with Interprofessional L.earning (IPL).  As well as my teaching within the School of Medicine I also a lecture on the School of Biological Sciences CSEDCUE East.Module 3CXY, Science Communication. I have been commissioned with Kay Yeoman by to develop and deliver a Public Engagement Practitioners Programme for the programme by

Grants and Teaching Fellowships

• I am a 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.
• UEA Teaching Fellowship with Mr Andy Mee (CSED) Dec 2007; ‘Show and Tell PBL’
• 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.

• Allowing Medical Students to learn about Prudent Antibiotic Using an Active Learning Approach and a New Educational Forum Jan 2009 BSAC Education Fund

Teaching Material

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

• My main administrative role is Course Director of the MSc in Health Sciences.

• I am Co-ordinator of the Research Project Module

• I am also Deputy Organiser for Module One of the MB/BS programme

• I am Science Co-ordinator for Year 1 of the MB/BS

• I am a member of the Faculty of Health Ethics Committee