Current Lab Members

Tasha Meadows (BBSRC SWBIO DTP)

Tasha’s PhD is part of a long term collaboration with the APHA studying the dynamics of bovine tuberculosis infection in European badgers (Meles meles) within Woodchester Park. She is studying what shapes the bacterial microbiotas of the badgers, and the wider role of the environment as a conduit through which microbes and anti-microbial resistance (AMR) can spread. Contact Tasha at nh510{at}exeter.ac.uk

James Chatfield (Harvey Osborne PhD Studentship)

James is a rare entity in the Wild Microbiome Lab as he doesn’t work on microbiomes (yet!). James’s PhD focuses on the factors shaping the life history of Green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in Cyprus (lead Supervisor Annette Broderick). He will be using microsatellite genotyping to estimate relatedness among groups of turtles and to more precisely estimate key traits like age at first reproduction. Contact James at jc233{at}exeter.ac.uk

Laura Penny (NERC ECORISC CDT)

Laura studies the impact of veterinary drugs (wormers and antibiotics) on the gut microbiome of various dung beetle species, all of which are key ecosystem engineers in the UK. Her PhD is in collaboration with the RSPB and CEH, and her field sites are on various farms dotted around Cornwall.

Kingsley Hunt (BBSRC SWBIO DTP)

Kingsley is interested in the forces shaping cooperation and conflict in animal societies. His PhD uses the dampwood termite Zootermopsis angusticollis as a model for understanding the importance of the gut microbiome for shaping group identity and interactions.

Becca Saxton (MRes)

Becca has been involved in the light-bellied Brent goose research project since the very beginnging of her BSc., and so it was a natural step for her to stay on as an MRes student. Her work looks at determinants of parasite communities and microplastics in the Brent.

Past Lab Members

Dr Alice Pawlik (NERC GW4+ DTP)

Alice was my first PhD student associated with my faculty position at Exeter, and came to the PhD a seasoned amphibian ecologist. Her work investigates the spatial and temporal dynamics of the Common frog (Rana temporaria) skin microbiome at multiple sites across Cornwall and Devon. She also conducted a nationwide survey focussed on the role of garden ponds as important habitat for wildlife and also for our own wellbeing. Papers to come soon!

Dr Kirsty Marsh (Leverhulme Trust PostDoc)

Kirsty works on the temporal dynamics of gut-associated microbial communities, using light-bellied Brent geese as a model system. Look out for papers soon on the covariance between bacterial and fungal communities in Brent geese, and how they are linked to diet and social network position. She previously completed her PhD on microbiome dynamics linked to diet and pathogen infection in wild mice.

Izzie Jones (Leverhulme Trust PhD Student)

Izzie undertook her MSc. research project on the factors shaping gut microbiome dynamics in light-bellied Brent geese, which we eventually published in PeerJ. Izzie went on to the PhD position on our Leverhulme grant, but ultimatley decided academia wasn’t quite the right fit for her and went on to pursuse other career options.

Dr Anna Bowland

Anna started her PGR journey as an MRes student with me and Kim Hockings, before writing such a fantastic MRes thesis that she upgraded to a PhD program. As well as publishing on the signficiance of ethanol in fermented fruits consumed by chimpanzees, we are also working on a paper looking at diet-microbiome associations in wild chimps, and how these patterns may be affected by the availabiltiy of farmed fruits like cashew.