Team Profiles Archive - Van Houte Lab

I am originally trained as a molecular virologist, but during my PhD have been influenced by ecologists and evolutionary biologists who taught me to ask conceptual questions around host-parasite interactions. I have used various host-parasite model systems (insect-virus; bacteria-virus; bacteria-plasmid) and in my research I integrate molecular and evolutionary approaches. I study why and how […]

I joined the van Houte and Westra labs in April 2023 as a Part-time Project Administrator. It’s my job to take care of all the little administrative tasks like ordering consumables, updating websites, and acting as a liason with our lovely ESI staff to ensure things run as smoothly as possible in the lab. If […]

I am interested in the ecology of mobile genetic elements and microbial communities. During my PhD, I developed a CRISPR-Cas9 plasmid which can be used to remove AMR plasmids from microbial communities. More recently, I am working on synthetic bacteriophage and their application in phage therapy. You can also find me on Bluesky (@davvi36) or […]

I am a postdoctoral research fellow with Prof Stineke van Houte. I have a background in evolutionary microbiology. During my PhD at the University of Liverpool, I studied factors that could pose barriers to horizontal gene transfer in Salmonella. My current research focuses on understanding the importance of bacterial immune systems in shaping resistance / sensitivity […]

My background is in molecular biology, and I previously studied bacterial transcription machinery and prokaryotic Argonaute proteins. I joined van Houte lab to investigate synergy between bacterial defence systems. I am combining computational and experimental approaches to tackle this question using opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa as a model system.

My research focuses on bacteria phage interactions, specifically looking at the defence systems carried in a diverse collection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates and whether these confer resistance to phages. By quantifying resistance patterns found within the collection, it may reveal the efficacy of defence systems and defence system combinations against particular phages. Previously, my research […]

My work is focused on understanding how CRISPR-Cas9 could be used as a tool to remove antibiotic resistance (AMR) genes from pathogenic bacteria. I work with E. coli ST131, a pandemic human pathogen often related to antibiotic treatment failure due to the presence of AMR genes. I can also be found on my Twitter.

2024 Alice Maestri – Post-doctoral Researcher Alice studies the arms race between bacteria and their parasites, with a specific focus on the evolution and ecology of bacterial immune systems and phage counter-defences. During her PhD she discovered and characterised the MADS immune system and investigated its interaction with the Type IE CRISPR-Cas of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Previously, […]