I am an Associate Professor of Microbiology at Teesside University. I have significant responsibility for a number of research projects and supervise several PhD students. I also teach at undergraduate and postgraduate level. My research background mainly involves studying microbial communities within complex environments. I have done this using a range of molecular techniques including: PCR; qPCR; molecular cloning; sequencing; and next generation sequencing. I have used a range of univariate and multivariate techniques to allow me to analyse the data produced during these experiments. My research interests began with studying nitrogen cycling within agricultural environments. I have since taken part in a number of medical, industrial and environmental based studies which all focus around studying microbial diversity response to change. Recently I have began to focus on anaerobic environments within an industrial, archaeological and medical setting. New interests include a focus on the response of methanogenic archaea to changing conditions.