I joined the Bamford Lab in November 2026 as a Research Fellow working on the EnviroFlu project. I recently completed my PhD at Queen's University Belfast, focusing on the environmental surveillance of livestock parasites using molecular techniques, including ddPCR and Illumina sequencing. I now bring that environmental surveillance approach to avian influenza, sampling the freshwater sites that wild migratory waterbirds use.
Project: EnviroFlu: surveillance of avian influenza in freshwater environments frequented by wild migratory waterbirds.
My current research focuses on the surveillance of avian influenza in freshwater environments frequented by wild migratory waterbirds. Through a longitudinal study, we will collect and analyse water samples from sites across the island of Ireland to detect RNA from avian influenza viruses.
This approach aims to provide a less invasive alternative to traditional surveillance methods, supporting earlier detection and monitoring of viral circulation, evolution and potential changes in pathogenicity.
Outside the lab: Watching films, cooking, trying (and failing) to learn new languages, spending time with friends and family, and currently learning how to crochet!