Teaching

Contributes to the teaching on both the and the MSc Environmental Health, covering topics such as Public Health, Water and Environmental Management and Solid Waste management, Environment, Infrastructure and Health.

Research interests

Ocular infection, specifically keratitis caused by the free-living protozoa Acanthamoeba - my work has concentrated on the association between Acanthamoeba and contact lenses (the common vector in Acanthamoeba keratitis), in particular newer generation silicone hydrogel lenses.

Studies have included work on:

• the effect lens material has on Acanthamoebal attachement to contact lenses
  
  
• the efficacy of contact lens disinfection solutions against Acanthamoeba - such work is particularly relevant in light of the global withdraw of Complete MoisturePlus contact lens solution which the CDC recognised as having a greater association with ocular infection than other lens solutions
  
  
• potential new drugs for the treatment of ocular infection with this organism
  
  
• isolation and molecular typing of clinical and environmental isolates of Acanthamoeba.

The majority of this work has been in colaberation with Professor Alan Tomlinson in the Department of Vision Sciences at Glasgow Caledonian University and Professor David Seal.

Other study areas include:

• collaborative work with staff from the National Centre For Prosthetics and Orthotics, Physics and Maths departments in the University of Strathclyde, investigating the impact micro-organisms have on the liners within prosthetic limbs.


• efficacy testing of povidone iodine as a prophylaxis used during cataract surgery - this work invloved collaboration with industry and the NHS


• investigation of bacterial contamination of enteral tube feeding systems, involving both laboratory studies investigating sources of enteral feeding system contamination, growth of bacteria in enteral feeds, and simulated ward studies on faulty handling of feeding systems, and clinical work investigating the incidence of feed contamination related to handling and feeding system design - studies involved collaboration with both industry and the NHS


• developing quantitative description of how fluvial sediments are glued together by biofilms and the effect this on has the rate of entrainment into fast flowing rivers - collaborative study with the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Glasgow


• augmntation of bioremediation of tributyltin (TBT)

Publications

• Beattie TK, Tomlinson A, McFadyen AK. Attachment of Acanthamoeba to first- and second-generation silicone hydrogel contact lenses. Ophthalmology 2006; 113 (1); 117-125.
• Booton GC, Rogerson A, Bonilla TD, Seal DV, Kelly DJ, Beattie TK, Tomlinson A, Lares-Villa F, Fuerst PA, Byers TJ. Molecular and physiological evaluation of subtropical environmental isolates of Acanthamoeba spp., causal agent of Acanthamoeba Keratitis. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology 2004; 51 (2): 92-200.
• Beattie TK, Seal DV, Tomlinson A. Efficacy of anti-neoplastic drugs against Acanthamoeba. Proceedings of the 10th International Meeting on the Biology & Pathogenicity of Free-Living Amoebae. Instituto Tecnológico De Sonora, Cuidad Obregon, Mexico, 2003; ISSN 0187-9613.
• Beattie TK, Seal DV, Tomlinson A, McFadyen AK & Grimason AM. Amoebicidal activity of multipurpose contact lens solutions using a Most Probable Number (MPN) enumeration technique. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 2003; 41: 2992-3000.
• Seal DV, Beattie TK, Tomlinson A, Fan D and Wong E. Acanthamoeba keratitis. British Journal of Ophthalmology 2003; 87: 516-517.
• Beattie TK, Tomlinson A & Seal DV. Surface treatment or material characteristic, the reason for the high level of Acanthamoebal attachment to silicone hydrogel contact lenses. Eye & Contact Lens: Science and Clinical Practice 2003; 29(1): S40-S43.
• Beattie TK, Tomlinson A, McFadyen AK, Seal DV & Grimason AM. Enhanced attachment of Acanthamoeba to extended-wear silicone hydrogel contact lenses: a new risk factor for infection? Ophthalmology 2003; 110: 765-771.
• Beattie TK, Tomlinson A & Seal DV. Anti-Acanthamoeba efficacy in contact lens disinfecting system. British Journal of Ophthalmology 2002; 86:1319-1320.
• Beattie TK & Anderton A. Decanting versus sterile pre-filled nutrient containers - the microbiological risks in enteral feeding. International Journal of Environmental Health Research 2001; 11: 81-93.
• Beattie TK & Anderton A. Microbiological evaluation of four enteral feeding systems which have been subjected to faulty handling procedures. Journal of Hospital Infection 1999; 42: 11-20.
• Beattie TK & Anderton A. Bacterial contamination of enteral feeding systems due to faulty handling procedures - a comparison of a new system with two established systems. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics 1998; 11: 313-321.
• Beattie TK & Anderton A. Enteral feeding tube guidewire - another factor in the retrograde contamination of enteral feeding systems? Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics 1998; 11: 85-93.
• Beattie TK & Anderton A. Use of hand washing/gloves during enteral tube feeding system assembly/handling. PEN Lines 1997; 11: 6.
• Anderton A. & Beattie TK. Disinfection and cleaning of enteral tube feeding systems during assembly - results of a survey of practices. PEN Lines 1996; 9: 8.
• Beattie TK, Anderton A & White S. Aspiration (of gastric residuals) - a cause of bacterial contamination of enteral feeding systems? Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics 1996; 9: 105-115.