Microlab@Bristol includes a range of PDRAs, PhD students and MScR students. We also host a cohort of undergraduate Geography students for their dissertations each year.
Chris Williamson
Group leader and Senior Lecturer in Polar Microbiology
Chris is a Senior Lecturer in Polar Microbiology within the Bristol Glaciology Centre, University of Bristol, and founded the MicroLab@Bristol research group in 2019. Chris’ research interests cover a range of organisms that inhabit marine, freshwater and cryospheric environments, though the bulk of his recent work has focussed on cryospheric microalgae and their interactions with both natural and anthropogenic change. He employs a range of field, laboratory and modelling techniques in his research, moving from the level of individual cells up to ecosystem-scale processes. He holds particular expertise in fluorescence-based methods for the study of autotroph physiology, the application of machine learning to environmental science, and remote field-work campaigns.
Email me: c.williamson@bristol.ac.uk
Alex Bowles
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Alex has a PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of Essex where he investigated the major transitions in the plant tree of life through comparative genome analysis. Alex is currently working on the iDAPT project to understand the role of cryospheric environments for facilitating early land plant terrestrialisation through genome sequencing and analysis of streptophyte algae..
Email me: zl20161@bristol.ac.uk
Jaz Millar
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Jaz studied their PhD on the survival of supraglacial microbial life through the Cryogenian Snowball Earth at Cardiff University. They are currently working on the iDAPT project to understand the role of cryospheric environments in processes of early land plant terrestrialisation. Jaz is leading development and deployment of new equipment to study cryospheric algal physiology in-situ and assess the algae’s adaptations to icy environments and what they can teach us about processes of terrestrialisation.
Email me: jl.millar@bristol.ac.uk
Emily Broadwell
PhD Student
Emily has an MESci in Environmental Geography from Cardiff University which focused on supraglacial ecology. She is currently completing her PhD within the MicroLab research group examining how glacial microorganisms are adapted to the cryosphere and the controls on their photophysiology. Emily is also a Post Graduate Teaching Assistant within the School of Geographical Sciences, where she teaches a range of skills to undergraduate students.
Email me: emily.broadwell@bristol.ac.uk
Maddy Lewis
PhD Student
Maddy has an MSc in BioInspired Innovation from Utrecht University (The Netherlands), and is currently working on her PhD as part of the MicroLab research group at Bristol in collaboration with the Ice Core group at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). Her research is upon fine-scale spatial distribution of microbes in snow and ice, and how they interact and influence their microhabitats.
Email me: maddy.lewis@bristol.ac.uk
Paulina Cifuentes Uribe
PhD Student
Paulina did her Masters degree in Microbiology at the University of Concepción in Chile where she studied UV-resistant psychrotolerant bacteria from Chilean Patagonia and Antarctica. Her current PhD project involves working on symbiotic relationships around cyanobacteria from newly exposed soils from retreating glaciers in Chile and how they are related to soil colonization of early land plants. She also wants to test if these relationships were relevant for the evolution and early terrestrialization of land plants through genome sequencing and molecular clock methodologies.
Email me: pauli.cifuentesuribe@bristol.ac.uk
Rachel Pickford
MScR Student
Rachel has a BSc in Geography from the University of Bristol and is currently working toward her Masters by Research hosted in collaboration with the Cabot Institute for the Environment. Rachel’s research is concerned with the flow of nutrients and carbon through supraglacial algal communities, and the consequences for ecological stoichiometry.
Email me: rp16941@bristol.ac.uk
Affiliates of Microlab@Bristol
Damiano Duci
PhD Student
Damiano is undertaking his PhD as part of the NERC “Fresh” CDT and is based primarily at Bath University. Damiano’s project is assessing the ability of microalgae to communicate via electrical signalling and the application of monitoring electrical signalling as a means to detect and track harmful algal blooms in freshwater systems. Damiano is undertaking culturing aspects of his project at MicroLab@Bristol, establishing growth dynamics for his study species under various abiotic conditions.
Email me: dd647@bath.ac.uk
Margot Arnould-Petre
PhD Student
Margot is undertaking her PhD as part of the EU Horizon 2020 ITN “BEEP” project (Bio-inspired and bionic materials for enhanced photosynthesis) and is mainly based at The Natural History Museum, London. Margot’s project is examining the prevalence and role of iridescence in Rhodophyte macroalgal species. Margot is working with MicroLab@Bristol to take photophysiological measurements of iridescent seaweeds to establish their potential role in light harvesting/protection.
Email me: m.arnould-petre@nhm.ac.uk
Rory Burford
PhD Student
Rory is undertaking his PhD as part of NERC funded ”fresh” CDT and is based primarily at the University of Bristol. Rory’s project is examining the export of dissolved organic matter (DOM) from a variety of glacial systems across the cryosphere, its composition and potential bioavailability. Rory is affiliated with MicroLab@Bristol for the remainder of his PhD project.
Email me: rory.burford@bristol.ac.uk
Past Members
Miranda Nicholes
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Miranda undertook her PhD as part of the Black and Bloom project in supraglacial ecology and biogeochemistry and followed that up with a PDRA position within MicroLab@Bristol working to model the impact of supraglacial algal blooms on global carbon cycling. Miranda’s interests also include algal, bacterial and fungal interactions in supraglacial systems and their role in overall ecosystem function. In her spare time, Miranda plays lacrosse internationally and is currently Captain of the Welsh Women’s Lacrosse team.
Email me: miranda.nicholes@bristol.ac.uk
Carmen Espinosa Angona
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Carmen is a biotechnologist with an MSc in Water Science and Technology (University of Girona, Spain) and a PhD in Cyanobacterial metabolite production in Mediterranean rivers (BETA Technological Centre, Vic, Spain). Carmen undertook a 1-year PDRA position with MicroLab@Bristol working in collaboration with Dwr Cymru Welsh Water to apply machine learning to predict Cyanobacterial metabolite production within freshwater reservoirs. Carmen has now taken up an independent fellowship in Spain working on Taste and Odour metabolite production by cyanobacteria.
Email me: c.espinosaangona@bristol.ac.uk
Dilara Stenglein
MScR Student
Dilara has a BSc in Geography from the University of Bristol and worked toward her Masters by Research as part of MicroLab@Bristol in collaboration with the Cabot Institute for the Environment. Dilara’s research is concerned with the magnitude and impact of the ‘viral shunt’ in supraglacial environments.
Email me: ds17006@bristol.ac.uk
David Furley
MSc Student
David was an MSc student on the Climate Change Science and Policy masters program within the School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol. David’s research was concerned with the application of machine learning techniques for the monitoring of harmful algal blooms. David worked on MicroLab@Bristol’s JGI funded neural network project whilst also doing his master’s thesis in the group.
Email me: d.furley.2020@bristol.ac.uk
Want to work with us?
MicroLab@Bristol is always looking to expand its network of collaborators and recruit new team members. Keep an eye on our opportunities page for new PDRA or PhD job postings. If you’re interested in undertaking a Masters by Research with the MicroLab, see the Cabot Institute website for details of the programme and feel free to get in touch to discuss potential projects.
Chris is always happy to receive emails at c.williamson@bristol.ac.uk
MicroLab@Bristol 