Joanna Verran

Verran works on the interactions of microorganisms with surfaces including food preparation surfaces, water pipes and dentures at Manchester Metropolitan University.^[4] She has looked at the pathogenicity of Candida albicans and how it relates to stomatitis.^[4] She recognised that the properties of surfaces affected the retention of cells, and began to investigated the topography and chemistry of surfaces.^[5] She was the academic lead for a Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) LINK project that worked with Unilever, AstraZeneca, studying the impact of wear on the ability to clean food surfaces.^[5] She developed atomic force microscopy to evaluate the attachment of microorganisms to work surfaces.^[5] The project informed European Commission funded PathogenCombat, which informed small and medium-sized enterprises about food hygienic preparation.^[5] She served as President of the International Biodeterioration Biodegradation Society between 2006 and 2009.^[6]

Verran was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship in 2011 and is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA).^[7][8] She was involved in the creation of the National Subject Profile in Microbiology.^[9] She published An Atlas of Biodeterioration in 2013.^[10] She contributed to Effective Learning in the Life Sciences: How Students Can Achieve Their Full Potential.^[11]

Verran became interested in the intersection of science and the arts; supporting students to engage with different disciplines.^{[12][13][14][15]} In 2009 Verran launched the Bad Bugs Book Club which looks to engage people with microbiology and infectious diseases.^[16][17] The book club is open to the scientists and non-scientists.^[16] She held a Bad Bugs Book Club at the British Science Association Science Communication Conference in 2015.^[18] The book club was a case study in Science Communication: A Practical Guide for Scientists.^[19] Verran has used zombies and vampires that can act as models of infectious diseases, and demonstrated the exhibit at Cheltenham Science Festival.^[12][20] She has researched effective means of evaluating science communication.^[4][21] She launched the Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) science communication Master's program in 2016.^[22] Verran has been involved with the Bradford Literature Festival and Manchester Children's Book Festival.^[22] She has written for The Conversation.^[23] She has explored how educational interventions can impact adolescent opinions of vaccinations.^[24]

Her awards and honours include:

• 2019 AAAS Award for Public Engagement with Science^[25]
• 2011 National Teaching Fellowship from the HEA^[12]
• 2011 Society for Applied Microbiology Communications Award^[26]
• 2006 Society for General Microbiology Award for Innovation in Microbiology Education^[4]
• 2023 FEMS Science Communication Award ^[27]

Verran is married with two children.^[1]