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Associate Professor Scott Beatson
Associate Professor

Scott Beatson

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 54863

Overview

Background

Scott Beatson is an Associate Professor and NHMRC Career Development Fellow at The University of Queensland (UQ). He specializes in bacterial pathogenomics: using whole-genome sequencing to investigate transmission, pathogenesis and antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Recent work from his group includes genomic analyses of pandrug resistant enterobacteriaceae and the multidrug resistant Escherichia coli ST131 pandemic clone. He was awarded a PhD from UQ for his work in bacterial pathogenesis in 2002 and developed his career in bacterial genomics in the United Kingdom with the support of fellowships from the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 (University of Oxford) and the UK Medical Research Council (University of Birmingham). Since returning to Australia he has held fellowships from both the NHMRC and ARC and has led a successful research group in the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences at UQ since 2008. He is also a member of the Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre and the Australian Centre for Ecogenomics. In 2016 he received the Frank Fenner Award from the Australian Society for Microbiology in recognition of his contribution to microbiology research in Australia.

Availability

Associate Professor Scott Beatson is:
Available for supervision

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Science, University of Otago
  • Masters (Coursework) of Science, University of Otago
  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
  • Masters (Coursework) of Science, The University of Manchester

Research impacts

In the past five years the Beatson Lab has focussed on clinically relevant pathogens and exploiting genomic technologies in the clinical setting. His group regularly reports the genome analyses of antibiotic resistant bacteria to the major tertiary hospitals in Brisbane as part of Queensland Genomics. He is the senior author of a phylogenomic study of E. coli ST131 in PNAS (2014; 312 citations), and joint first author of a landmark publication on the E. coli O157 genome (2006; 413 citations). Genome analysis software developed in his group is widely used i.e. BRIG (2011; 1026 citations) and EasyFig (2011; 756 citations). Since 1998 he has co-authored more than 120 journal articles (9756 citations), including 61 in the past 5 years and 43 with greater than 50 citations (Google Scholar 22/08/19). He regularly publishes in high-impact, general interest or specialist medical/microbiology journals including Science, PNAS, Clin Infect Dis, Nat Commun and MBio.

Works

Search Professor Scott Beatson’s works on UQ eSpace

195 works between 1998 and 2025

41 - 60 of 195 works

2020

Journal Article

Comprehensive analysis of IncC plasmid conjugation identifies a crucial role for the transcriptional regulator AcaB

Hancock, Steven J., Phan, Minh-Duy, Luo, Zhenyao, Lo, Alvin W., Peters, Kate M., Nhu, Nguyen Thi Khanh, Forde, Brian M., Whitfield, Jason, Yang, Ji, Strugnell, Richard A., Paterson, David L., Walsh, Timothy R., Kobe, Bostjan, Beatson, Scott A. and Schembri, Mark A. (2020). Comprehensive analysis of IncC plasmid conjugation identifies a crucial role for the transcriptional regulator AcaB. Nature Microbiology, 5 (11), 1340-1348. doi: 10.1038/s41564-020-0775-0

Comprehensive analysis of IncC plasmid conjugation identifies a crucial role for the transcriptional regulator AcaB

2020

Other Outputs

Genomic surveillance, characterisation and intervention of a carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii outbreak in critical care

Roberts, Leah W., Forde, Brian M., Hurst, Trish, Ling, Weiping, Nimmo, Graeme R., Bergh, Haakon, George, Narelle, Hajkowicz, Krispin, McNamara, John F, Lipman, Jeffrey, Permana, Budi, Schembri, Mark A., Paterson, David, Beatson, Scott A. and Harris, Patrick N. A. (2020). Genomic surveillance, characterisation and intervention of a carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii outbreak in critical care. doi: 10.1101/2020.08.10.20166652

Genomic surveillance, characterisation and intervention of a carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii outbreak in critical care

2020

Journal Article

Fatal respiratory diphtheria caused by ß-lactam–resistant corynebacterium diphtheriae

Forde, Brian M., Henderson, Andrew, Playford, Elliott G., Looke, David, Henderson, Belinda C., Watson, Catherine, Steen, Jason A., Sidjabat, Hanna E., Laurie, Gordon, Muttaiyah, Sharmini, Nimmo, Graeme R., Lampe, Guy, Smith, Helen, Jennison, Amy V., McCall, Brad, Carroll, Heidi, Cooper, Matthew A., Paterson, David L. and Beatson, Scott A. (2020). Fatal respiratory diphtheria caused by ß-lactam–resistant corynebacterium diphtheriae. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 73 (11), e4531-e4538. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciaa1147

Fatal respiratory diphtheria caused by ß-lactam–resistant corynebacterium diphtheriae

2020

Journal Article

Antimicrobial resistance in ESKAPE pathogens

De Oliveira, David M. P., Forde, Brian M., Kidd, Timothy J., Harris, Patrick N. A., Schembri, Mark A., Beatson, Scott A., Paterson, David L. and Walker, Mark J. (2020). Antimicrobial resistance in ESKAPE pathogens. Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 33 (3) e00181-19, e00181-19. doi: 10.1128/cmr.00181-19

Antimicrobial resistance in ESKAPE pathogens

2020

Other Outputs

Strain and lineage-level methylome heterogeneity in the multi-drug resistant pathogenic Escherichia coli ST101 clone

Ashcroft, Melinda M., Forde, Brian M., Phan, Minh-Duy, Peters, Kate M., Roberts, Leah W., Chan, Kok-Gan, Chong, Teik Min, Yin, Wai-Fong, Paterson, David L., Walsh, Timothy R., Schembri, Mark A. and Beatson, Scott A. (2020). Strain and lineage-level methylome heterogeneity in the multi-drug resistant pathogenic Escherichia coli ST101 clone. doi: 10.1101/2020.06.07.138552

Strain and lineage-level methylome heterogeneity in the multi-drug resistant pathogenic Escherichia coli ST101 clone

2020

Other Outputs

Genomic characterisation and context of the blaNDM-1 carbapenemase in Escherichia coli ST101

Ashcroft, Melinda M., Forde, Brian M., Phan, Minh-Duy, Peters, Kate M., Henderson, Andrew, Hancock, Steven J., Roberts, Leah W., White, Rhys T., Chan, Kok-Gan, Chong, Teik Min, Yin, Wai-Fong, Paterson, David L., Walsh, Timothy R., Schembri, Mark A. and Beatson, Scott A. (2020). Genomic characterisation and context of the blaNDM-1 carbapenemase in Escherichia coli ST101. doi: 10.1101/860726

Genomic characterisation and context of the blaNDM-1 carbapenemase in Escherichia coli ST101

2020

Journal Article

Genomic investigation reveals contaminated detergent as the source of an Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-producing Klebsiella michiganensis outbreak in a neonatal unit

Chapman, Paul, Forde, Brian M., Roberts, Leah W., Bergh, Haakon, Vesey, Debra, Jennison, Amy V., Moss, Susan, Paterson, David L., Beatson, Scott A. and Harris, Patrick N. A. (2020). Genomic investigation reveals contaminated detergent as the source of an Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-producing Klebsiella michiganensis outbreak in a neonatal unit. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 58 (5) e01980. doi: 10.1128/jcm.01980-19

Genomic investigation reveals contaminated detergent as the source of an Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-producing Klebsiella michiganensis outbreak in a neonatal unit

2020

Conference Publication

Predicting nitroimidazole antibiotic resistance mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis with protein engineering

Lee, Brendon, Almeida, Deepak, Afriat-Jurnou, Livnat, Aung, Htin, Forde, Brian, Harold, Liam, Hards, Kiel, Pidot, Sacha, Ahmed, Hafna, Mohamed, Elaaf, Taylor, Mathew, West, Nicholas, Stinear, Timothy, Greening, Chris, Beatson, Scott, Cook, Gregory, Nuermberger, Eric and Jackson, Colin (2020). Predicting nitroimidazole antibiotic resistance mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis with protein engineering. Annual Meeting on Experimental Biology, San Diego, CA, United States, 4-7 April 2020. Hoboken, NJ, United States: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1096/fasebj.2020.34.s1.04923

Predicting nitroimidazole antibiotic resistance mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis with protein engineering

2020

Journal Article

Phase variation in latB associated with a fatal Pasteurella multocida outbreak in captive squirrel gliders

Omaleki, Lida, Beatson, Scott A., Thomrongsuwannakij, Thotsapol, Blackall, Patrick J., Buller, Nicky B., Hair, Sam D., Vitali, Simone D., Wallace, Alisa M., Turni, Conny and Forde, Brian M. (2020). Phase variation in latB associated with a fatal Pasteurella multocida outbreak in captive squirrel gliders. Veterinary Microbiology, 243 108612, 108612. doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2020.108612

Phase variation in latB associated with a fatal Pasteurella multocida outbreak in captive squirrel gliders

2020

Journal Article

Using genomics to understand inter- and intra- outbreak diversity of Pasteurella multocida isolates associated with fowl cholera in meat chickens

Omaleki, Lida, Blackall, Patrick J., Cuddihy, Thom, Beatson, Scott A., Forde, Brian M. and Turni, Conny (2020). Using genomics to understand inter- and intra- outbreak diversity of Pasteurella multocida isolates associated with fowl cholera in meat chickens. Microbial Genomics, 6 (3) 000346, 1-8. doi: 10.1099/mgen.0.000346

Using genomics to understand inter- and intra- outbreak diversity of Pasteurella multocida isolates associated with fowl cholera in meat chickens

2020

Journal Article

Predicting nitroimidazole antibiotic resistance mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis with protein engineering

Lee, Brendon M., Harold, Liam K., Almeida, Deepak V., Afriat-Jurnou, Livnat, Aung, Htin Lin, Forde, Brian M., Hards, Kiel, Pidot, Sacha J., Ahmed, F. Hafna, Mohamed, A. Elaaf, Taylor, Matthew C., West, Nicholas P., Stinear, Timothy P., Greening, Chris, Beatson, Scott A., Nuermberger, Eric L., Cook, Gregory M. and Jackson, Colin J. (2020). Predicting nitroimidazole antibiotic resistance mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis with protein engineering. PLoS Pathogens, 16 (2) e1008287, e1008287. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008287

Predicting nitroimidazole antibiotic resistance mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis with protein engineering

2020

Journal Article

Integrating multiple genomic technologies to investigate an outbreak of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacter hormaechei

Roberts, Leah W., Harris, Patrick N. A., Forde, Brian M., Ben Zakour, Nouri L., Catchpoole, Elizabeth, Stanton-Cook, Mitchell, Phan, Minh-Duy, Sidjabat, Hanna E., Bergh, Haakon, Heney, Claire, Gawthorne, Jayde A., Lipman, Jeffrey, Allworth, Anthony, Chan, Kok-Gan, Chong, Teik Min, Yin, Wai-Fong, Schembri, Mark A., Paterson, David L. and Beatson, Scott A. (2020). Integrating multiple genomic technologies to investigate an outbreak of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacter hormaechei. Nature Communications, 11 (1) 466, 466. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-14139-5

Integrating multiple genomic technologies to investigate an outbreak of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacter hormaechei

2019

Journal Article

Genomic analysis of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in Queensland reveals widespread transmission of blaIMP-4 on an IncHI2 plasmid

Roberts, Leah W., Catchpoole, Elizabeth, Jennison, Amy V., Bergh, Haakon, Hume, Anna, Heney, Claire, George, Narelle, Paterson, David L., Schembri, Mark A., Beatson, Scott A. and Harris, Patrick N. A. (2019). Genomic analysis of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in Queensland reveals widespread transmission of blaIMP-4 on an IncHI2 plasmid. Microbial Genomics, 6 (1) 000321. doi: 10.1099/mgen.0.000321

Genomic analysis of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in Queensland reveals widespread transmission of blaIMP-4 on an IncHI2 plasmid

2019

Other Outputs

A high quality reference genome for the fish pathogen Streptococcus iniae

Alsheikh-Hussain, Areej S., Zakour, Nouri L. Ben, Forde, Brian M., Silayeva, Oleksandra, Barnes, Andrew C. and Beatson, Scott A. (2019). A high quality reference genome for the fish pathogen Streptococcus iniae. doi: 10.1101/2019.12.17.880476

A high quality reference genome for the fish pathogen Streptococcus iniae

2019

Journal Article

Complex multilevel control of hemolysin production by uropathogenic Escherichia coli

Nhu, Nguyen Thi Khanh, Phan, Minh-Duy, Forde, Brian M., Murthy, Ambika M. V., Peters, Kate M., Day, Christopher J., Poole, Jessica, Kidd, Timothy J., Welch, Rodney A., Jennings, Michael P., Ulett, Glen C., Sweet, Matthew J., Beatson, Scott A. and Schembri, Mark A. (2019). Complex multilevel control of hemolysin production by uropathogenic Escherichia coli. mBio, 10 (5) e02248-19. doi: 10.1128/mbio.02248-19

Complex multilevel control of hemolysin production by uropathogenic Escherichia coli

2019

Journal Article

Whole-genome sequencing as an improved means of investigating Neisseria gonorrhoeae treatment failures

Buckley, Cameron, Beatson, Scott A., Limnios, Athena, Lahra, Monica M., Whiley, David M. and Forde, Brian M. (2019). Whole-genome sequencing as an improved means of investigating Neisseria gonorrhoeae treatment failures. Sexual Health, 16 (5), 500-507. doi: 10.1071/SH19012

Whole-genome sequencing as an improved means of investigating Neisseria gonorrhoeae treatment failures

2019

Journal Article

SMRT sequencing reveals differential patterns of methylation in two O111:H- STEC isolates from a hemolytic uremic syndrome outbreak in Australia

Forde, Brian M., McAllister, Lauren J., Paton, James C., Paton, Adrienne W. and Beatson, Scott A. (2019). SMRT sequencing reveals differential patterns of methylation in two O111:H- STEC isolates from a hemolytic uremic syndrome outbreak in Australia. Scientific Reports, 9 (1) 9436, 9436. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-45760-5

SMRT sequencing reveals differential patterns of methylation in two O111:H- STEC isolates from a hemolytic uremic syndrome outbreak in Australia

2019

Journal Article

Control of bacterial sulfite detoxification by conserved and species-specific regulatory circuits

Tan, Yi Jie Chelsea, Zhao, Chengzhi, Nasreen, Marufa, O'Rourke, Leo, Dhouib, Rabeb, Roberts, Leah, Wan, Ying, Beatson, Scott A. and Kappler, Ulrike (2019). Control of bacterial sulfite detoxification by conserved and species-specific regulatory circuits. Frontiers in Microbiology, 10 (MAY) 960, 960. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00960

Control of bacterial sulfite detoxification by conserved and species-specific regulatory circuits

2019

Other Outputs

The evolution of nitroimidazole antibiotic resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Lee, Brendon M., Almeida, Deepak V., Afriat-Jurnou, Livnat, Aung, Htin Lin, Forde, Brian M., Hards, Kiel, Pidot, Sacha J., Ahmed, F. Hafna, Mohamed, A. Elaaf, Taylor, Matthew C., West, Nicholas P., Stinear, Timothy P., Greening, Chris, Beatson, Scott A., Cook, Gregory M., Nuermberger, Eric L. and Jackson, Colin J. (2019). The evolution of nitroimidazole antibiotic resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. doi: 10.1101/631127

The evolution of nitroimidazole antibiotic resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

2019

Journal Article

Novel insights into pasteurellosis in captive pinnipeds

Crawford, Rebecca L., Blyde, David, Blackall, Patrick J., Forde, Brian M., Beatson, Scott A., Harris, Louise M., Turni, Conny and Omaleki, Lida (2019). Novel insights into pasteurellosis in captive pinnipeds. Veterinary Microbiology, 231, 232-237. doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2019.03.017

Novel insights into pasteurellosis in captive pinnipeds

Funding

Past funding

  • 2021 - 2024
    Australian Pathogen Genomics (AusPathoGen) Program (MRFF Genomics Health Futures Mission, Flagships administered by University of Melbourne)
    University of Melbourne
    Open grant
  • 2020
    Rapid detection of resistance genes from Gram-negative bacteria isolated from blood in ICU-admitted patients
    Pathology Queensland - Study, Education & Research Trust Fund
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2021
    Virulence and detection of Escherichia coli that cause neonatal meningitis
    The Children's Hospital Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2023
    Cluster randomised trial of a multimodal intervention to reduce antimicrobial use in residential aged care facilities
    NHMRC MRFF - Antimicrobial Resistance Targeted Call for Research
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2023
    Integrated bacterial genomics and virulence analysis of uropathogenic Streptococcus agalactiae (NHMRC Project Grant led by Griffith University)
    Griffith University
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2020
    Epigenetic regulation in bacteria
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2016
    Instrumentation for the analysis of cellular and metabolic phenotypes
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2019
    Bacterial Pathogenomics: whole-genome sequencing to investigate infection transmission, pathogenesis and antibiotic resistance
    NHMRC Career Development Fellowship
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2018
    Superbugs and veterinary drugs: Are multidrug-resistant zoonotic pathogens residing in Australian animals? (ARC Linkage Project administered by University of Adelaide)
    University of Adelaide
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2017
    A pan-genome reverse vaccinology approach to disease prevention in farmed fish
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2018
    Functional and genomic analysis of the globally disseminated multidrug resistant Escherichia coli ST131 clone
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2015
    Smarter fermentations through starter culture genomics
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2015
    Evolution and pathogenicity of NDM-1 positive Escherichia coli
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2012
    ResTeach Funding 2012 0.2 FTE School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences
    UQ ResTeach
    Open grant
  • 2011
    Cell culture facilities for studying host-pathogen interactions and immune function
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2013
    Escherichia coli ST131: an emerging pathogen
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2013
    Adhesins of uropathogenic Escherichia coli.
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2009
    Genomics as a tool to study P aeruginosa lung disease in cystic fibrosis
    Australian Cystic Fibrosis Research Trust
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2011
    Evolution and function of a novel lateral flagellar locus, Flag-2, in pathogenic Escherichia coli (NHMRC Project grant administered by the University of Melbourne)
    University of Melbourne
    Open grant
  • 2009
    Infrastructure for biochemistry and infectious disease resarch in molecualr biosciences
    UQ School/Centre Co-Funding
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2011
    Molecular basis of asymptomatic colonization of the human urinary tract
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2011
    ResTeach 2009 0.2 FTE School of Chemical and Molecular Biosciences
    Open grant
  • 2008 - 2012
    The evolution of bacterial pathogenesis: a genomic approach
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2007 - 2008
    Understanding staphylococcal urinary tract infections: a comparative genomics approach
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2006 - 2007
    The complete genome sequence of asymptomatic bacteriuria 'Escherichia coli' strain VR50
    UQ New Staff Research Start-Up Fund
    Open grant
  • 2005 - 2007
    NHMRC Howard Florey Fellowship: Bacterial Pathogenesis: A Genomic Approach
    NHMRC Career Development Award
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Associate Professor Scott Beatson is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Preliminary study to develop workflows for use of low-cost state of the art technology and big data to diagnose bacterial fish diseases in resource limited settings using Streptococcosis as a model

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Oleksandra Rudenko, Professor Andrew Barnes

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Using low-cost state of the art technology and big data to help smallholder fish farmers to diagnose and control disease

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Oleksandra Rudenko, Professor Andrew Barnes

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Preliminary study to develop workflows for use of low-cost state of the art technology and big data to diagnose bacterial fish diseases in resource limited settings using Streptococcosis as a model

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Oleksandra Rudenko, Professor Andrew Barnes

Completed supervision

Media

Enquiries

For media enquiries about Associate Professor Scott Beatson's areas of expertise, story ideas and help finding experts, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au