We are a research group of microbiologists, biotechnologists and computational biologists with an interest in bacteriophages and other viruses. We are curious about the role and function of viruses in the microbiome and passionate about using bacteriophages to improve health, whether it’s our own, that of animals, the food chain or the environment.

We are located at the Quadram Institute Bioscience on the Norwich Research Park in the East of England.

Current lab members

Evelien Adriaenssens

I’m Evelien Adriaenssens, Group Leader and Principal Investigator.

I’m originally from Belgium, where I studied for a Master’s and PhD in Bioscience Engineering at the KU Leuven. During my PhD, I worked on the development of new bacteriophages as biocontrol agents against potato rot. In 2013, I moved to South Africa for a postdoctoral fellowship on the microbial ecology of viruses in desert soils. I moved to Liverpool in 2016 to investigate the use of viromics to track pathogenic viruses in the environment. I started my research group in 2019, exploring viruses in the human gut microbiome and their applications.
I am the Vice President of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV).

Claire Elek

I am a DART MRC iCASE PhD candidate in the Adriaenssens Group investigating the use of bacteriophages (or phages) for the biocontrol of Klebsiella spp., as an alternative or adjunctive to antibiotics. My project focuses on the phenotypic and genotypic characterisation of bacteriophages, how they interact with their host species and antibiotics, and producing high quality, high titre phage preparations for potential use in humans.

Previously to my PhD, I completed my Masters by Research in Biomedical Research, specialising in bacterial pathogenesis and infection at Imperial College London in 2019. During my first project, I developed a novel reporter system in Klebsiella pneumoniae for in vivo bioluminescence imaging, and during my second project, I investigated the effect of a small molecule inhibitor on DNA repair mechanisms and antibiotic potentiation in Gram-negative bacteria.

I completed my BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science from the University of Bedfordshire in 2017, and prior to this had gained industry experience in a range of fields, including blood product testing, radiolabelling and purifying proteins, and food microbiology.

James Docherty

I am an NRPDTP PhD student in the Adriaenssens Lab, researching the impact of bacteriophages on the colonisation of bifidobacteria in the infant gut. My project combines bioinformatics and wet-lab research to enhance our understanding of the intricate relationships that these predatory viruses have with bacteria belonging to the Bifidobacterium genus during early life. These bacteria dominate the enteric microbiome in healthy breast-fed infants, and any reduction in their abundance at this critical stage is associated with numerous illnesses and disorders.

Prior to joining the group, I pursued a BSc (Hons) in Biology and an MSc in Biotechnology at the University of Lincoln. During my studies, I conducted research projects on using virulent bacteriophages to treat burn wound infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and investigating plasmid stability in transgenic Escherichia coli. To build on my experience, I then gained employment as a Laboratory Technician for Microbiology.

Hannah Pye

Hi, I’m Hannah!

Currently, I’m a postdoctoral research scientist within the Adriaenssens Group at the Quadram Institute Bioscience exploring the use of bacteriophage treatment in combination with constructed wetland technology, as an intervention strategy to prevent dissemination of antibiotic resistance in surface waters in low- and middle-income countries. Previously, my PhD research was focussed on determining the molecular mechanisms of food-chain related stress tolerance in Salmonella enterica by using transposon directed insertion site sequencing (TraDIS) to identify genes essential for survival during stress. In 2017, I completed a Master’s by Research at the Institute of Food Research and my project involved determining the spore germination pathways in Clostridium botulinum, a biosafety level 3 organism.

Xena Dyball

I am an NRPDTP PhD student in the Adriaenssens group investigating the roles of bacteriophage infection and prophage carriage in bacterial adaptation to the human gut. My project is focussed on the commensal species Ruminococcus gnavus and the prophages found within its genome. Using bioinformatics tools and wet-lab techniques I aim to elucidate the role of phages in the adaptation of R. gnavus to the human gut environment, in addition to improving our understanding of the interactions occurring between phage-bacteria-host in the gut microbiome. Prior to my PhD I worked in the technology development group at UKHSA and completed an integrated master’s degree at the University of Warwick.

Ryan Cook

I am a postdoctoral research scientist in the Adriaenssens group with an interest in all things phage. I joined the Quadram in November 2022 and am currently studying viral communities within the human gut, with the aim to elucidate interactions between bacteriophages and mammalian tissues.

My research career started at the University of Nottingham where I completed a Microbiology BSc in 2018. Subsequently, I stayed at Nottingham for a PhD under the supervision of Michael Jones and Andrew Millard (University of Leicester). During this time, I explored the current extent of bacteriophage genomics, optimised approaches for viral metagenomics (or “viromics”), and characterised viral communities within the dairy farm environment.

Lizzi Coy

I am an iCASE MMBDTP PhD student part of the Narbad and Adriaenssens groups. My project focuses on developing a defined microbiome-based therapy for the biocontrol of Clostridium difficile infections in the gut. Alongside the project I will be supported by my industry partner at The Functional Gut Clinic to give a clinical insight for the project, as well as extensive bioinformatics training as part of the MMBDTP program.
In 2022 I graduated from the University of Sheffield, with a Master of Biological Science in Biochemistry and Microbiology, after completing research projects on the structural and functional relationship of pore forming toxins from gram negative bacteria, and characterising Saccharomyces cerevisiae from commercial ale.

Raphael Lwesya

Deus Kamya

Revathy Krishnamurthy

Luke Acton

Adriaenssens lab alumni

We are very grateful for the lovely group of people that has passed through the lab, the impression they left on our lives and the excellent work they did.

  • Teagan Brown
  • Oliver Charity
  • Sarah Zahran

UEA Masters and Honours project students

  • Miles Oke
  • Bernardo Pedroza
  • Lucy Hewitt
  • Poppy Howard
  • Kamile Jakutonyte
  • Kash Hinds
  • Adam Freeman