Blessing Anonye, PhD, MSc, BSc, FHEA

Dr Blessing Anonye is a lecturer in medical microbiology at AUC School of Medicine's UK Track program at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in Preston. Dr. Anonye first began teaching over a decade ago after attending a course on “Introduction to Teaching and Learning in Higher Education” at Newcastle University, UK while studying for her master's degree. This course covered the concepts as to how students learn, small and large group teaching, assessing students, giving feedback, and evaluating teaching.  

After graduating with a distinction in the master’s course, Dr. Anonye obtained a Wellcome Trust Scholarship for a PhD in Biological Sciences at the University of Cambridge (UK). This research was performed at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (UK) on the intestinal microbiota in health and disease. Fecal samples were taken from patients with recurrent C. difficile infections before and after fecal transplant and compared with those of healthy individuals and those on antibiotics.  

She then took up research fellow positions at the University of Warwick, first at the Medical School, developing innovative gut cellular models for C. difficile infection, and a second research fellowship on ancient remedies for antibiotic-resistant infections. During this period, Dr. Anonye was also involved in teaching and supervising students and delivered seminars on bacterial vaccines to postgraduate students. 

Dr. Anonye sees herself more as a teacher, and her passion for teaching led her to take a full-time position as a lecturer in the School of Medicine at the University of Central Lancashire and now a fellow of Advance HE (FHEA). Dr. Anonye has been awarded multiple grants for travel to scientific conferences, research, and public engagements. Recently, she was awarded a public engagement grant from UCLan to disseminate her research to the public.