In progress

T2 | Microbial Biocontrol

How microbial communities affect virus biocontrol
Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that infect bacteria, which could provide a new way to control bacterial infections. To move phages towards being a viable option, this study aims to understand how plant microbial communities might affect the use of phages to target bacterial pathogens.
In progress

T2 | Microbial Biocontrol

Impacts of phage-phage interactions
Phage therapy is a promising alternative to traditional antibiotics, particularly when using multiple bacteriophages to target bacterial pathogens. It is crucial to recognise the diverse phages that coexist and compete to develop accurate phage therapy strategies.
In progress

T2 | Microbial Biocontrol

How apple scab outsmarts plant defences
Plants and the pathogens that attack them are locked in a constant battle. Plants evolve defences to recognise and fight off disease-causing invaders, but pathogens respond by mutating or dropping the genes that make them detectable. This research investigates how apple scab fungus outsmarts plant defences of apples.
In progress

T2 | Microbial Biocontrol

Molecular basis of the apple scab pathosystem
Understanding how the apple scab pathogen, Venturia inaequalis, promotes host susceptibility or resistance using new and existing genetic tools.