I have an MSc in Wild Animal Biology from the Royal Veterinary College and a BSc Zoo Biology degree from Nottingham Trent University. I have experience working in the animal industry in areas of zoo keeping, conservation (i.e. bird ringing/surveillance and bat surveillance), pathology and in a veterinary practice.

Initially my interest in birds led me to do my Masters research project on Captive Flamingo behaviour and welfare, and then onto my previous role as Microbiology Laboratory Technician in the Poultry Industry, where I carried out Microbiology and Serology testing on poultry and agricultural samples. From this role my interest in Microbiology intensified, and led me to the QIB as a Project Scientist where I worked on the development of microbial therapies  (Live Biotherapeutics) and infant gut microbiome studies using Microbiology and Molecular Biology Techniques. My next role was working for Cancer Research UK at The University of Cambridge as a Chief Cancer Molecular Diagnostics Research Technician working on diagnostic methods for clinical trial cancer research. I am now back at the QIB as a Postgraduate BBSRC Unilever Case PhD Research Student studying the Development and Evolution of the Human Infant Skin Microbiome.