Current Projects

Below is a list of active projects in the lab. If you’d like any more information about these projects, or would like to enquire about working with me on one of them, then please drop me an email.

AMR, Microbiomes and Migratory Bird Health

We have just launched our new NERC Pushing the Frontiers grant investigating the dynamics of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) transmission in wildlife, using light-bellied Brent geese (pictured) as a model. We will be following Brent geese across their migratory journey from Ireland to Iceland to try and understand how they pick up and transmit AMR. We will build high resolution social networks to measure how much AMR transmission is direct, and profile the resistomes of their environment to see what they are exposed to as they go about heir lives. This work builds on previous Leverhulme Trust-funded research investigation the dynamics of the Brent goose gut microbiome and their impact on nutrition and body condition.

The Resistomes grant sits alongside the NERC-funded ‘Transformers’ grant, also on Brent geese, led by Prof Stu Bearhop & Dr Aimée McIntosh, both at Exeter.

Badgers, the Environment, and Bovine Tuberculosis

We use badgers as a model for understanding the interactions between the gut microbiome and immunity, given the signfiicant role they play as reservoirs of the zoonotic pathogen Mycobacterium bovis. We are particularly interested in estimating the relative importance of direct (host-host) and indirect (host-environment) pathways as conduits for the spread of both commensal and pathogenic microbes. Photo (C) By Andy Morffew

Dog Diet and Gut Microbiomes

Companion animals like dogs play a fundamental part in our lives, and are important for our own wellbeing. Helping our pets live long and healthy lives is important, and one way we can optimise canine health is through manipulating their diet. This project will look at the imapct of raw versus cooked diets on dog gut microbiomes, with a particular focus on the prevalence of anti-microbial resistance.

Mongoose Scent, Microbiomes & Group Identity

TBC