Frank Odds Explained

Frank C. Odds was an English mycologist. He studied Candida albicans, establishing how modern researchers study fungal pathogens and the diseases they cause.[1]

Early life and education

Frank C. Odds was born in Devon, England on August 29, 1945. He studied biochemistry and obtained his undergraduate degree and PhD at the University of Leeds.[2] From 1970 to 1972, Odds was a visiting Fellow at the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Returning to the United Kingdom in 1972, Odds accepted a postdoctoral fellowship position back at the University of Leeds until 1975. Odds experienced his first faculty role at the University of Leicester as a lecturer and senior lecture in Medical Microbiology until 1989. After his time at the University of Leicester, Odds became the Director of Bacteriology & Mycology of the Janssen Research Foundation until 1999. His final academic role was Professor of Medical Mycology at the University of Aberdeen before retiring in 2009. Odds died July 7, 2020.

Research

Before DNA typing methods replaced the phenotypic approach, Odds created a method for biotyping Candida albicans and it became adopted internationally in many labs. Odds also used Multi-Locus Sequence Typing (MLST) to determine the population structure of Candida albicans and other Candida species which allowed for virulence factors to be explored across different phylogenetic groups. His breakthrough in MLST allowed Odds to serve as the curator of the Candida MLST for years. During this time, two new Candida species were discovered. The efforts of Odds allowed for further understanding of the cellular and molecular basis of the development of cell shape in C. albicans as well as help publish the first sequence of a Candida protease gene. Odds also helped invent an infection model that promoted rapid evaluation of the relative virulence or Candida strains and mutants.

During Odds' time as the Director of Bacteriology & Mycology at the Janssen Research Foundation, his efforts helped develop azole and triazole antifungals. Odds had 18 patents to his name and he served as the chief coordinator on the reports of clinical trials, case reports of antifungal agents, and copious international studies.

Before his death in 2020, Odds helped establish the Aberdeen Fungal Group which has gone on to become a presence in medical mycology, be part of cross-institutional collaborations around the United Kingdom, help train researchers in low income countries, and be awarded the Medical Research Council (MRC) MRC Centre status for Medical Mycology.[3]

Community roles and honors

Odds held many community roles throughout his life, including:

He also received the following awards and honors:

Notable publications

Odds published more than 500 journal articles, including:[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Obituary for Professor Frank Odds British Society for Medical Mycology. 2021-11-15. www.bsmm.org.
  2. Web site: Gow. Neil. 2020-08-25. Frank Odds obituary. 2021-11-15. The Guardian. en.
  3. Web site: University's fungal research group officially recognised with MRC Centre status News The University of Aberdeen. 2021-11-15. www.abdn.ac.uk.
  4. Web site: Frank C. Odds - Publications .

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