In 2025 I completed my integrated Master of Biology degree in Microbiology at Nottingham Trent University. My third year undergraduate project investigated the bacterial contamination and antimicrobial resistance profiles of local bodies of water. In my master’s project, I developed and evaluated a variant calling framework for the understudied pathogen Mycobacterium leprae. My interests in bacterial genomics, molecular epidemiology and bioinformatics propelled me into the Microbes, Microbiomes and Bioinformatics Doctoral Training Programme between the University of East Anglia and Norwich Research Park.

As part of Matthew Gilmour’s research group at the Quadram Institute, my project focuses on Campylobacter which is the leading cause of bacterial human gastroenteritis worldwide. We aim to explore the factors which contribute to the survival and persistence of Campylobacter in poultry processing facilities. This project is facilitated by an iCASE partnership with a major food producer, providing me with the exciting opportunity to apply my skills at a key link in the chain between farm and table.