Research
Using RNA for diagnostics: I showed that RNA from older clinical samples can still detect key public health pathogens like Adenovirus, Cryptosporidium, and Salmonella (Cunningham-Oakes et al., 2025. Genome Medicine). This opens the door to better tracking of infections.
Faster, better testing in hospitals: Working with The Centre for Genomic Research and Liverpool Clinical Laboratories, we got NHS approval for bacterial tests that return results in under 24 hours. This helped support better use of antibiotics and won a Royal College of Pathologists Achievement Award.
Rapid response to outbreaks: I used RNA sequencing to track a new variant of Canine Enteric Coronavirus during a 2022 outbreak. We found changes in the spike gene that may affect how it spreads and escapes immunity
Industrial bioinformatics: During my PhD, I sequenced over 1,000 bacteria from industrial settings. This work contributed to Unilever’s Genomic Preservation Science Strategy.