Health Protection Agency
The Health Protection Agency is an independent UK organization that was set up by the government in 2003 to protect the public from threats to their health from infectious diseases and environmental hazards. It does this by providing advice and information to the general public, to health professionals such as doctors and nurses, and to national and local government.
The Food, Water and Environmental Microbiology (FW&E) Network is part of the wider Health Protection Agency and consists of a network of 12 laboratories serving Local and Port Health Authorities in England and Wales, providing specialist microbiology testing and advice. The south west region of England is served by the Bristol laboratory.
Role in the project
The Health Protection Agency act as critical friends on the microbiological aspects of the project. They work with the Department of Chemistry at the University of Bristol in developing the reagents and media required for the microbiological testing of water in the Aquatest Device. The FW&E laboratory will provide expertise and advice on testing various water types, both naturally contaminated with Escherichia coli and laboratory spiked samples. The Aquatest device will be tested alongside standard microbiology methods already used in the laboratory.
People involved
Dr Robert Spencer
Bob is employed as a Consultant Medical Microbiologist by the Health Protection Agency (HPA). When not involved with decontamination issues surrounding re-usable medical devices and infection control issues,his interests lie in sampling, decontamination and remediation with regard to biothreat agents. His environmental microbiology expertise (MSc Birkbeck College) will be of assistance in the development and validation of the Aquatest media.
Dr Robert Morley
Rob Morley is the south west lead Food, Water and Environmental (FW&E) microbiologist for the Health Protection Agency. His role is to head up the FW&E laboratory in Bristol, providing testing and advice on microbiology of environmental samples, including water. His role covers testing in the south west region of the UK, ranging from Gloucestershire to Cornwall.
Prior to working at the Health Protection Agency Rob spent some time developing a novel rapid Salmonella detection test for food manufacturers, based at a company in Porton Down, UK.
Rob has a PhD from the University of Bath focusing on interactions between several pathogenic bacteria and protozoa in the environment.
Rob currently also sits on the Environment Agency Standing Committee of Analysts Working Group that develops the microbiology of drinking water methods.