My research focusses on cross-disciplinary advancement of microbiology, bridging the environmental and clinical fields. My emphasis is on researching the fundamental molecular mechanisms of bacterial adhesion to biomedical materials and environmental substrata, and how human contact with animals and the environment affects bacteria relating to human health. I am research active, and am currently investigating the following key fields: the phenomenon of quorum sensing and biomedical device infection; development of novel antibiotics; bacteriophages as antibacterial agents; and the environmental persistence of medically important human pathogens.

I am currently involved in a project investigating bacteriophages specific to Escherichia coli. 

I am interested in supervising Masters and PhD students in the following areas: microbiology, healthcare, antibiotics, antimicrobials, bacteriophages, quorum-sensing, biofilms, water pollution, drinking water, waste water, zoonoses, environmental microbiology.

I am a Principal Lecturer in Microbiology, within the School of Applied Sciences, and am the Course Leader for  the MRes Biological Sciences degree programme.

I teach across all levels of the BSc (Hons)/ MSci Ecology, Biological Sciences, and Biomedical Science undergraduate courses, as well as specialist teaching at Masters level. My area of expertise is in microbiology, and I am visible to the students within modules across all three years of study. My research directly informs my teaching at all levels, where my focus on the persistence of antibiotic resistant bacteria in the environment allows me to bridge the gap between clinical and environmental biology, and to develop and deliver a robust and engaging learning programme to the students. My links with academic societies provided me with an oversight of the requirements that industries have of Biological Sciences students, and to embed industry-recognised skills at key stages of the degree framework.