Rate My Professor Nicola Marechal

Nicola Marechal holds the position of Lab Manager in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Otago. The department is situated in the Microbiology Building at 720 Cumberland Street, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand, and falls under the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences within Health Sciences. In her capacity as Lab Manager, she plays a pivotal role in the Phage-host interactions (Phi) laboratory directed by Professor Peter Fineran. The Phi lab conducts research on the dynamics between bacteriophages and their bacterial hosts. Specifically, the team studies the mechanisms by which phages infect and lyse bacteria, the evolutionary arms race involving bacterial defence systems including the CRISPR-Cas adaptive immune system, and the therapeutic potential of phages as novel antimicrobials to combat antibiotic-resistant infections in healthcare settings and agricultural environments. The laboratory's innovative work and collaborative spirit led to it receiving the prestigious 2024 Otago Research Group Award. Professor Fineran has publicly commended Marechal's laboratory management skills, noting that “the work Nicola Marechal does to manage the laboratory [is key]. Without her support our lab would fall apart.”

Marechal has also contributed to the Otago Bacterial Energetics and Antimicrobial Resistance (OBEAR) Group, located in Professor Greg Cook's laboratory within the same department. This group's research centers on the energetics of bacterial metabolism and strategies to overcome antimicrobial resistance, earning them the 2017 University of Otago Research Group Award for their impactful publications and research outputs. Through her dedicated service in these high-achieving research environments, Nicola Marechal has been instrumental in facilitating groundbreaking studies in microbiology and immunology at one of New Zealand's leading universities.