Associate Professor Scott Beatson
Associate Professor

Scott Beatson

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 54863

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

Fields of research

Bacteriology Biological Sciences Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Epigenetics (incl. genome methylation and epigenomics) Genetics Genomics Infectious agents Medical microbiology Microbial genetics Microbiology Molecular evolution Phylogeny and comparative analysis

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.

Search Professor Scott Beatson’s works on UQ eSpace

186 works between 1998 and 2025
All (186) Journal Article (169) Conference Publication (12) Other Outputs (5)

141 - 160 of 186 works

2011

Journal Article

Insights into a multidrug resistant escherichia coli pathogen of the globally disseminated ST131 lineage: Genome analysis and virulence mechanisms

Totsika, Makrina, Beatson, Scott A., Sarkar, Sohinee, Phan, Minh-Duy, Petty, Nicola K., Bachmann, Nathan, Szubert, Marek, Sidjabat, Hanna E., Paterson, David L., Upton, Mathew and Schembri, Mark A. (2011). Insights into a multidrug resistant escherichia coli pathogen of the globally disseminated ST131 lineage: Genome analysis and virulence mechanisms. Plos One, 6 (10) e26578, e26578-1-e26578-11. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0026578

Insights into a multidrug resistant escherichia coli pathogen of the globally disseminated ST131 lineage: Genome analysis and virulence mechanisms

2011

Journal Article

Identification of a haemolysin-like peptide with antibacterial activity using the draft genome sequence of Staphylococcus epidermidis strain A487

Al-Mahrous, Mohammed M., Jack, Ralph W., Sandiford, Stephanie K., Tagg, John R., Beatson, Scott A. and Upton, Mathew (2011). Identification of a haemolysin-like peptide with antibacterial activity using the draft genome sequence of Staphylococcus epidermidis strain A487. FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology, 62 (3), 273-282. doi: 10.1111/j.1574-695X.2011.00811.x

Identification of a haemolysin-like peptide with antibacterial activity using the draft genome sequence of Staphylococcus epidermidis strain A487

2011

Journal Article

Transcriptional regulators of the GAD acid stress island are carried by effector protein-encoding prophages and indirectly control type III secretion in enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7

Tree, Jai J., Roe, Andrew J., Flockhart, Allen, McAteer, Sean P., Xu, Xuefang, Shaw, Darren, Mahajan, Arvind, Beatson, Scott A., Best, Angus, Lotz, Sabrina, Woodward, Martin J., La Ragione, Roberto, Murphy, Kenan C., Leong, John M. and Gally, David L. (2011). Transcriptional regulators of the GAD acid stress island are carried by effector protein-encoding prophages and indirectly control type III secretion in enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7. Molecular Microbiology, 80 (5), 1349-1365. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2011.07650.x

Transcriptional regulators of the GAD acid stress island are carried by effector protein-encoding prophages and indirectly control type III secretion in enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7

2011

Journal Article

Characterization of EhaJ, a new autotransporter protein from enterohemorrhagic and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli

Easton, Donna M., Totsika, Makrina, Allsopp, Luke P., Phan, Minh-Duy, Idris, Adi, Wurpel, Daniël J., Sherlock, Orla, Zhang, Bing, Venturini, Carola, Beatson, Scott A., Mahony, Timothy J., Cobbold, Rowland N. and Schembri, Mark A. (2011). Characterization of EhaJ, a new autotransporter protein from enterohemorrhagic and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli. Frontiers in Microbiology: Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 2 (JUNE), 120.1-120.9. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2011.00120

Characterization of EhaJ, a new autotransporter protein from enterohemorrhagic and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli

2011

Journal Article

UafB is a serine-rich repeat adhesin of Staphylococcus saprophyticus that mediates binding to fibronectin, fibrinogen and human uroepithelial cells

King, Nathan P., Beatson, Scott A., Totsika, Makrina, Ulett, Glen C., Alm, Richard A., Manning, Paul A. and Schembri, Mark A. (2011). UafB is a serine-rich repeat adhesin of Staphylococcus saprophyticus that mediates binding to fibronectin, fibrinogen and human uroepithelial cells. Microbiology, 157 (4), 1161-1175. doi: 10.1099/mic.0.047639-0

UafB is a serine-rich repeat adhesin of Staphylococcus saprophyticus that mediates binding to fibronectin, fibrinogen and human uroepithelial cells

2011

Journal Article

Easyfig: A genome comparison visualizer

Sullivan, Mitchell J., Petty, Nicola K. and Beatson, Scott A. (2011). Easyfig: A genome comparison visualizer. Bioinformatics, 27 (7) btr039, 1009-1010. doi: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btr039

Easyfig: A genome comparison visualizer

2011

Journal Article

Genome sequence of the emerging pathogen aeromonas caviae

Beatson, Scott A., de Luna, Maria das Graças, Bachmann, Nathan L., Alikhan, Nabil-Fareed, Hanks, Kirstin R., Sullivan, Mitchell J., Wee, Bryan A., Freitas-Almeida, Angela C., dos Santos, Paula A., de Melo, Janyne T. B., Squire, Derrick J. P., Cunningham, Adam F., Fitzgerald, J. Ross and Henderson, Ian R. (2011). Genome sequence of the emerging pathogen aeromonas caviae. Journal of Bacteriology, 193 (5), 1286-1287. doi: 10.1128/JB.01337-10

Genome sequence of the emerging pathogen aeromonas caviae

2011

Conference Publication

Genetic adaptation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to the airways of two Australian cystic fibrosis patients

Kirstin R. Hanks-Thomson, Timothy J. Kidd, Jason A. Steen, Claire E. Wainwright, Keith Grimwood, Scott C. Bell, Nouri L. Ben Zakour, Barbara Rose, Jim Manos, Nicola K. Petty and Scott A. Beatson (2011). Genetic adaptation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to the airways of two Australian cystic fibrosis patients. Pseudomonas 2011, Sydney, 4-9-2011 to 7-9-2011. Sydney: University of Technology - Sydney (UTS).

Genetic adaptation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to the airways of two Australian cystic fibrosis patients

2010

Journal Article

Legionella pneumophila strain 130b possesses a unique combination of type IV secretion systems and novel Dot/Icm secretion system effector proteins

Schroeder, Gunnar N., Petty, Nicola K., Mousnier, Aurelie, Harding, Clare R., Vogrin, Adam J., Wee, Bryan, Fry, Norman K., Harrison, Timothy G., Newton, Hayley J., Thomson, Nicholas R., Beatson, Scott A., Dougan, Gordon, Hartland, Elizabeth L. and Frankel, Gad (2010). Legionella pneumophila strain 130b possesses a unique combination of type IV secretion systems and novel Dot/Icm secretion system effector proteins. Journal of Bacteriology, 192 (22), 6001-6016. doi: 10.1128/JB.00778-10

Legionella pneumophila strain 130b possesses a unique combination of type IV secretion systems and novel Dot/Icm secretion system effector proteins

2010

Journal Article

A commensal gone bad: Complete genome sequence of the prototypical enterotoxigenic escherichia coli strain H10407

Crossman, L. C., Chaudhuri, R. R., Beatson, S. A., Wells, T. J., Desvaux, M., Cunningham, A. F., Petty, N. K., Mahon, V., Brinkley, C., Hobman, J. L., Savarino, S. J., Turner, S. M., Pallen, M. J., Penn, C. W., Parkhill, J., Turner, A. K., Johnson, T. J., Thomson, N. R., Smith, S. G. J. and Henderson, I. R. (2010). A commensal gone bad: Complete genome sequence of the prototypical enterotoxigenic escherichia coli strain H10407. Journal of Bacteriology, 192 (21), 5822-5831. doi: 10.1128/JB.00710-10

A commensal gone bad: Complete genome sequence of the prototypical enterotoxigenic escherichia coli strain H10407

2010

Journal Article

New plasmids and putative virulence factors from the draft genome of an Australian clinical isolate of photorhabdus asymbiotica

Wilkinson, Paul, Paszkiewicz, Konrad, Moorhouse, Alex, Szubert, Jan M., Beatson, Scott, Gerrard, John, Waterfield, Nicholas R. and Ffrench-Constant, Nicholas R. (2010). New plasmids and putative virulence factors from the draft genome of an Australian clinical isolate of photorhabdus asymbiotica. FEMS Microbiology Letters, 309 (2), 136-143. doi: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2010.02030.x

New plasmids and putative virulence factors from the draft genome of an Australian clinical isolate of photorhabdus asymbiotica

2010

Journal Article

Molecular analysis of type 3 fimbrial genes from Escherichia coli, Klebsiella and Citrobacter species

Ong, Cheryl-lynn Y., Beatson, Scott A., Totsika, Makrina, Forestier, Christiane, McEwan, Alastair G. and Schembri, Mark A. (2010). Molecular analysis of type 3 fimbrial genes from Escherichia coli, Klebsiella and Citrobacter species. BMC Microbiology, 10 (183) 183, 1-12. doi: 10.1186/1471-2180-10-183

Molecular analysis of type 3 fimbrial genes from Escherichia coli, Klebsiella and Citrobacter species

2010

Journal Article

Multiple antibiotic resistance gene recruitment onto the enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli virulence plasmid

Venturini, C, Beatson, SA, Djordjevic, SP and Walker, MJ (2010). Multiple antibiotic resistance gene recruitment onto the enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli virulence plasmid. The FASEB Journal, 24 (4), 1160-1166. doi: 10.1096/fj.09-144972

Multiple antibiotic resistance gene recruitment onto the enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli virulence plasmid

2010

Journal Article

UpaH is a newly identified autotransporter protein that contributes to biofilm formation and bladder colonization by uropathogenic Escherichia coli CFT073

Allsopp, Luke P., Totsika, Makrina, Tree, Jai J., Ulett, Glen C., Mabbett, Amanda N., Wells, Timothy J., Kobe, Bostjan, Beatson, Scott A. and Schembri, Mark A. (2010). UpaH is a newly identified autotransporter protein that contributes to biofilm formation and bladder colonization by uropathogenic Escherichia coli CFT073. Infection and Immunity, 78 (4), 1659-1669. doi: 10.1128/IAI.01010-09

UpaH is a newly identified autotransporter protein that contributes to biofilm formation and bladder colonization by uropathogenic Escherichia coli CFT073

2009

Journal Article

Accelerated evolution of the Prdm9 speciation gene across diverse metazoan taxa

Oliver, Peter L., Goodstadt, Leo, Bayes, Joshua J., Birtle, Zoe, Roach, Kevin C., Phadnis, Nitin, Beatson, Scott A., Lunter, Gerton, Malik, Harmit S. and Ponting, Chris P. (2009). Accelerated evolution of the Prdm9 speciation gene across diverse metazoan taxa. PLOS Genetics, 5 (12) e1000753, x-x. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1000753

Accelerated evolution of the Prdm9 speciation gene across diverse metazoan taxa

2009

Journal Article

Conjugative plasmid transfer and adhesion dynamics in an Escherichia coli Biofilm

Ong, Cheryl-Lynn Y., Beatson, Scott A., McEwan, Alastair G. and Schembri, Mark A. (2009). Conjugative plasmid transfer and adhesion dynamics in an Escherichia coli Biofilm. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 75 (21), 6783-6791. doi: 10.1128/AEM.00974-09

Conjugative plasmid transfer and adhesion dynamics in an Escherichia coli Biofilm

2009

Journal Article

Secretion of flagellin by the LEE-encoded type III secretion system of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli

Badea, Luminita, Beatson, Scott A., Kaparakis, Maria, Ferrero, Richard L. and Hartland, Elizabeth L. (2009). Secretion of flagellin by the LEE-encoded type III secretion system of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli. BMC Microbiology, 9 (3) 30, x-xx. doi: 10.1186/1471-2180-9-30

Secretion of flagellin by the LEE-encoded type III secretion system of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli

2008

Journal Article

Regulatory interplay between pap operons in uropathogenic Escherichia coli

Totsika, M., Beatson, S.A., Holden, N. and Gally, D.L. (2008). Regulatory interplay between pap operons in uropathogenic Escherichia coli. Molecular Microbiology, 67 (5), 996-1011. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2007.06098.x

Regulatory interplay between pap operons in uropathogenic Escherichia coli

2008

Journal Article

Identification of Type 3 Fimbriae in Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Reveals a Role in Biofilm Formation

Ong, C., Ulett, G., Mabbett, A., Beatson, S., Webb, R., Monaghan, W., Nimmo, G., Looke, D., McEwan, A. and Schembri, M. (2008). Identification of Type 3 Fimbriae in Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Reveals a Role in Biofilm Formation. Journal of Bacteriology, 190 (3), 1054-1063. doi: 10.1128/JB.01523-07

Identification of Type 3 Fimbriae in Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Reveals a Role in Biofilm Formation

2008

Journal Article

EhaA is a novel autotransporter protein of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 that contributes to adhesion and biofilm formation

Wells, T.J., Sherlock, O., Rivas, L., Mahajan, A., Beatson, S.A., Torpdahl, M., Webb, R.I., Allsopp, L., Gobius, K., Gally, D.L. and Schembri, M.A. (2008). EhaA is a novel autotransporter protein of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 that contributes to adhesion and biofilm formation. Environmental Microbiology, 10 (3), 589-604. doi: 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2007.01479.x

EhaA is a novel autotransporter protein of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 that contributes to adhesion and biofilm formation

Current funding

  • 2025 - 2027
    Next-generation genomic disease surveillance in urban wastewater systems (ARC Discovery Projects administered by University of Technology Sydney)
    University of Technology Sydney
    Open grant

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

Availability

Associate Professor Scott Beatson is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Completed supervision

Enquiries

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